Over the last two years we have inspected every Trust registered hospital and community base. We have completed annual inspections of the James Cook University Hospital and The Friarage as well as completing themed inspections at the hospitals, which looked at both Accident and Emergency departments as well has the Trust’s termination of pregnancy services. We found that the Trust encouraged us to identify any ways they could improve.

Teams of CQC staff have inspected all the locations and these teams included specialist advisors and experts by experience. Throughout the two years we have held regular meetings with Trust representatives and discussed work the Trust is completing to maintain and improve their service. We have found that over the two years the Trust has remained compliant with all the regulations.

Our central analytic team have constantly reviewed the data the Trust has submitted to the various bodies overseeing their work and used this to assess the performance of the Trust. The central team have also compared this information on performance against other Trusts both in the North East, across the country and against Trusts with similar size populations and services. The last published risk rating for the Trust placed them in band 6, which is the lowest risk rating.

We found that the Trust’s quality assurance system was effective. It covered all aspects of the service and did not lose sight of the needs of the patients using the community services.

We went with a specialist advisor, a consultant physician specialising in diabetes. We found that Langbaurgh House had a range of offices for clinical services such as the community diabetes and weight management teams. We found that their patients are seen at other locations inspected by CQC such as One Life Centre, East Cleveland hospital and GP practices.

We spoke with the medical director, the governance manager, a specialist services manager, a clinical lead, two diabetic specialists, four health improvement staff and a community matron. We reviewed clinical care, training, performance management, and team meetings records. We looked at the systems staff have for sharing their views with senior staff in the Trust and Board.

We found that the clinicians effectively supported people who lived in the community. They were responsive to patients needs; had developed a range of clinics in Tees Valley; and provided treatment in patient’s own homes. We found that the staff proactively worked to assist patients reduce the impact their health condition had upon their quality of life.

Each clinician was extremely knowledgeable about the best practice and expected care outcomes for their patients’ health condition. They worked in partnership with staff across the Trust and consistently liaised with the relevant healthcare professionals in other locations such as James Cook University hospital. We found the service was an integral part of the overall Trust provision.