Kent Community Health receives Outstanding rating

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust has been rated overall as ‘outstanding’ – making it just the third community trust in England to have this accolade.

Following a routine inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the trust was praised for the way it delivers safe and effective care for its patients and service users, also becoming the only community trust in the south east to be operating with the highest rating from inspectors.

The CQC noted that patients and those close to them said staff went the extra mile and the care they received exceeded their expectations, while staff recognised and respected the totality of patients’ needs and supported them to be partners in their care.

The inspector also found that leaders have an inspiring purpose, striving to deliver and motivate staff to succeed, and that staff felt supported, valued and respected by their leaders. There was also widespread safe use of innovative and pioneering approaches to care and how it is delivered are actively encouraged.

Paul Bentley, chief executive of the trust, said: “I am delighted and extraordinarily proud that KCHFT has been rated as ‘outstanding’. Every day our teams come to work and deliver our values – caring, aspirational, responsive and excellent – making sure every person we serve has the best possible care and the CQC’s report reflects this commitment. Indeed, our priorities – developed annually with our staff, patients and partners – centre very much on what is important to us and what matters for the people we care for.

“In the report, I am particularly proud of the way the CQC witnessed how caring our staff are and the strong and authentic culture that we have of valuing our workforce. I am also very proud of the trust going from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’ in a system as challenged as Kent and Medway. Furthermore, I believe the leadership of the board is reflected in the rating of outstanding.’’