A HOSPITAL trust has become the first in the region to be rated overall as ‘outstanding’.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust received the accolade from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

It runs four main hospitals in Cramlington, North Tyneside, Wansbeck and Hexham.

Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards said: “The most remarkable finding to me was the consistency of the outstanding ratings across all four hospital locations and across community services. To achieve this across so many sites is truly remarkable and is a first.

“It demonstrates that it is possible to achieve excellence even when services are widely dispersed geographically.”

Inspectors praised the trust’s “inspirational leadership” and outstanding clinical care and also cited the way hospital services were strongly integrated with local communities.

Peta Clark, operational manager with the Royal College of Nursing Northern region, said: “It is a pleasant surprise to be looking at some good news here in relation to the NHS and it is to be warmly welcomed and celebrated.”

The trust is only the fourth in the country to be rated outstanding under the CQC’s programme of comprehensive inspections.