STAFF from a Hampshire trust have been celebrating after all three hospitals were rated 'good' by watchdogs.

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) visited all three hospitals run by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in January and their report is published today.

It reveals that Hampshire Hospitals is now rated as ‘Good’ overall and ‘Outstanding’ for caring.

Inspectors rated Hampshire Hospitals, which runs Andover War Memorial Hospital, Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and Royal Hampshire County Hospital, in Winchester, as outstanding when considering whether services are caring – and good when considering if services are safe, effective, responsive and well-led.

Inspectors found that staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions.

They also observed that staff provided emotional support to patients, families and carers.

Measures put in place to prevent the spread of infection were praised, as was the way in which doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals work together as a team.

Julie Dawes, chief nurse at Hampshire Hospitals, said: “Being recognised as a ‘Good’ trust by the CQC is a fantastic step forward for us and we are all extremely proud of this achievement.

"I am delighted that the hard work and dedication of our staff has paid off and been rewarded in this way.

"We are seeing the same commitment and dedication every day as we tackle the challenge of COVID-19, with our staff showing incredible compassion in these exceptional circumstances and providing outstanding care for patients with the virus.”