BRADFORD’S hospitals trust still requires improvement despite some progress being made since its last inspection, according to the health watchdog.

The Care Quality Commission said improvements had been made, but gave Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust the same rating – requiring improvement – as it received two years ago.

The Trust received the grading following an inspection from England’s chief inspector of hospitals in January.

For safety, responsiveness and effectiveness the Trust was rated as requiring improvement, but it was rated as good in the caring and well-led category.

During the inspection the CQC inspected the urgent and emergency, medical, surgical and maternity services.

The Trust’s effectiveness rating, which was good two years ago, was downgraded to requiring improvement, partly due to the sepsis audit indicator in the emergency department.

It also found only 16 per cent of patients received antibiotics within one hour, compared to the national average of 44 per cent.

But the CQC noted it could see action was being taken to improve, with staff training and updated guidelines.

A positive for the Trust was its well-led rating going from requiring improvement to good, which the CQC said was thanks to strong local leadership, Trust vision and values, and motivated staff committed to teamwork.

Emergency services performance at Bradford Royal Infirmary also went from requiring improvement to good.

Professor Ted Baker, chief inspector of hospitals, said: “Although the overall rating for the Trust remains ‘requires improvement’, I am pleased to report that we found real improvement in a number of areas.

“I was encouraged to see that there was a positive culture across the Trust, reflected by our improved rating for well led.

“I particularly note the work to ensure that strategic objectives and vision are shared with the staff, who told us they feel appreciated and valued as a result.

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“The Trust has been performing very well in respect of delayed transfers of care. They were consistently under two between October 2017 and March 2018, better than the national target of 3.5 per cent.

“The Trust must focus their efforts on those areas where we have identified the need for further improvement. In particular we found that compliance with mandatory training was variable, and infection prevention and control was not being consistently collected for audit.”

Professor Clive Kay, chief executive of the Trust, said: “I’m particularly proud that our busy urgent and emergency services have improved their previous rating to ‘good’.

“This is solid recognition of how well we have handled pressures during the difficult winter period, balancing capacity and high demand for the service.”