A HALESOWEN hospital has been told it needs to improve patients’ safety, despite being rated as ‘good’ by inspectors.

Colman Hill-based West Midlands Hospital was given its ‘good’ overall rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in its latest report published this month.

The rating was given to the hospital, which is part of the Ramsay Health Care Group, following an inspection by the CQC in May this year, which highlighted a number of improvements had been made since the previous inspection in 2015.

The hospital was said to have been ‘good’ in the categories of effective, caring, responsive and well-led, being praised for the improvements made to the amount of pharmacy support provided by the local trust.

Inspectors also found the management of patients with cancer had been formalised with the local NHS trust, patient records were now kept securely on site, and medical and non-medical equipment was well maintained, serviced and managed in line with manufactures requirements.

However, the hospital was found to require improvements in the ‘safe’ category, after inspectors found patient records did not consistently contain accurate and up to date medical entries, but did confirm mandatory training met targets, and staff’s safeguarding knowledge and training was good.

To view the full report online, visit www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-128733177.

Gloria Kerrigan, hospital director at West Midlands Hospital, said: “I am extremely proud that West Midlands Hospital has been rated ‘good’ by the CQC and the result is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of all the staff.

“I am delighted that the inspectors recognised the value we place on delivering high standards of patient care and we will always continue to strive to deliver the very best health care to our local community.”