A STRUGGLING NHS trust has been taken out of special measures after three years.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) is celebrating “steep improvements” in several areas across its two hospitals after they were recognised in its latest Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection report.

Released today (February 7), the CQC report shows “significant progress” in urgent and emergency services, medical care, services for children and young people, and outpatients and diagnostic imaging at King George’s Hospital in Goodmayes and Queen’s Hospital in Romford.

The inspection took place across four days in September and October last year, praising “outstanding” care for people living with dementia, its dedicated team for children with learning disabilities, and neonatal and community staff who provide babies with home oxygen therapy.

BHRUT staff have also managed to shake off the last of its “inadequate” ratings, which were handed out when the trust was put into special measures in December 2013, and are now rated "requires improvement".

England’s chief inspector of hospitals Professor Sir Mike Richards said: “We last visited the trust in March 2015. Under a new executive team at that time, it was evident that improvements were being made, but more needed to be done to ensure the trust could deliver safe, quality care across all services.

“I am pleased to say that our latest inspection demonstrated that the trust has continued to make progress; to provide safer, better quality care.

“We found that the senior leadership was visible and involved in clinical activity. The staff were positive about the changes, their environment, and the future direction of the trust and the services.

“While further improvements are necessary, we are confident that both leadership and staff know what needs to be done to continue towards achieving an improved rating.”

BHRUT’s chief executive Matthew Hopkins took over running the trust in April 2014 just months after the damning 2013 report.

He said: “I have always believed in the huge desire and passion of our staff to deliver outstanding care to this community.

“It is evident to me every single day in our hospitals, so I am delighted it was clearly evident to the CQC team too.

"The last three years have been a steep improvement curve. We needed to take significant steps and make some big cultural changes.

“This has taken time, but firm foundations have been laid, and we are excited about the future, and continuing our journey towards outstanding.”

Inspectors still had concerns about the number of locum staff employed at both hospitals, claiming their “access to training was poor” and this meant they were not always equipped with all the necessary skills and practices.

They also warned that all A&E patients need to be seen quicker, resuscitation and life support training needs to better, and hygiene standards need to be higher.

Despite the good news the inspection brings, it could leave Redbridge without an A&E department in 2019.

King George’s A&E in Goodmayes was earmarked for closure by the Health Secretary in 2006, but was not allowed to shut its doors until neighbouring facilities at Queen’s Hospital and Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone improved.

Although Barts Health remains in special measures, the good news for BHRUT means the Government moves closer to being able to shut Redbridge’s only A&E department in two years’ time.

To read the full CQC report, click here