Bristol's NHS staff praised for going 'above and beyond'

A Trust which runs eight hospitals in Bristol is one of the highest rated in England - having been rated as "Outstanding" by the Care Quality Commission.

University Hospitals Bristol was praised by England's Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards.

NHS staff were commended for their "determination to develop a culture of continuous improvement". Two years ago in the last inspection the Trust was rated as "Requires Improvement".

Inspectors found that staff went "above and beyond" to meet the emotional and physical needs of patients.

Areas of outstanding practice included:

• New staff in the emergency department received comprehensive induction and training, overseen by experienced staff - allowing new staff to gain an exceptionally good understanding of their role in the department.

• A focus on leadership development at all levels in order to support the culture and development of the trust.

• The use of innovation and research to reduce length of patient stay.

• The use of a discrete system to highlight and identify patients who had additional needs.