THE quality of care that patients receive at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust has been praised in a routine assessment by the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI).

CHI is an independent body launched in April last year to help the NHS monitor and improve clinical care throughout England and Wales.

The assessment was carried out between February and May this year at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust.

The review involved analysing information, talking to patients, staff, the public and organisations which work with the trust.

The review highlighted a number of areas of good practice, including the trust's Homeward scheme for hip and knee replacements.

Following the assessment the trust will be developing a number of areas including setting up a patient forum.

Joan Rogers, trust chief executive, said: "This is a great tribute to the continued dedication of our staff and is one in which our patients and local community should be proud.

"We have found the process of the CHI assessment a very beneficial one. Patients can rest assured that the trust will continue to look to improve on the services it provides to ensure our patients continue to receive high quality health care."

Peter Homa, CHI chief executive, said: "North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust has demonstrated a wide range of good practice throughout, however they do recognise that there are still areas that need further improvement. To achieve this aim the trust has produced an action plan in response to our report. Once the action plan is carried out, the quality of care patients receive at this trust will be even better than it is now."