INSPECTORS have praised the work carried out by the NHS.

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust has been given an overall rating of good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Inspectors focused on three of the six core services provided by the trust.

At a previous inspection, community inpatient services were rated as requiring improvement for safety.

Community dental services and sexual health services had not been previously checked.

As a result of the latest inspection, community inpatient services have been rated good overall and the service has been rated as outstanding for caring.

Community dental services and sexual health services have been rated good.

The trust provides community health and care services across Brighton and Hove, West Sussex and parts of East Sussex.

Inspectors found staff throughout community inpatient services had an overwhelming pride in the service and level of care they delivered. There were numerous examples of where staff went the extra mile in delivering care to patients.

Although the level of staffing was identified as an issue at some locations, the trust had put in a variety of measures to ensure patient safety was maintained.

Managers considered the risk of staffing levels routinely at all locations and took appropriate action to reduce the risk.

Inspectors found the management and quality of medical records was found to vary across the service.

Some locations were using a single record and others had information stored in a variety of documents.

This meant there was no one place for staff to access information.

The trust told inspectors it was in the process of implementing a single patient record.

Head of CQC inspection for the South East Catherine Campbell said: “During this inspection we found the care delivered in community inpatient services was outstanding.

“Staff consistently put patients at the centre of everything they did.

“Overall we found that safety had improved and services were delivered in line with the needs of the local population.”