Manchester Royal Eye Hospital has been rated 'outstanding' by the health watchdog.

Manchester University NHS Trust, the body in charge of nine hospital sites across the city and neighbouring Trafford, was inspected by Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors for the first time last year.

A report published on Tuesday commended the Oxford Road hospital for its cleanliness, positive patient feedback and risk management.

The hospital was deemed 'outstanding overall', with particular praise for its surgery and out-patient care.

Manchester Eye Hospital had 84,622 surgical admissions from October 2017 to May 2018.

The Manchester Royal Eye Hospital based on Oxford Road

Surgery was rated as 'outstanding' overall, as well as for effectiveness and for being well-led.

The department was rated 'good' in terms of safety; compassion and kindness; 'responsiveness'.

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"The hospital was leading the implementation of new techniques for surgery and training colleagues across the country in these techniques which were improving patient outcomes," inspectors said.

"Services were safe and there were systems and processes in place to maintain and improve patient safety."

Staffing levels were deemed to be good and staff had received appropriate training for their role, the report added.

The hospital was commended for its support for patients with cognitive impairment, autism and learning disabilities.

Not all patient records were fully completed and safer steps to safer surgery including the World Health Organisation checklist were not always completed, the report stated.

The hospital's outpatient service was rated as 'outstanding' overall, as well as in terms of compassion, 'responsiveness' and for being well-led. The service was rated 'good' for safety.

The hospital was rated 'outstanding' overall by health watchdogs

"There were systems and processes in place to keep people safe and staff had received training and were competent in their roles," inspectors said.

"Care was holistic and feedback from patients was extremely positive.

"Patients were supported at the eye hospital and in their communities and there was specific support for children and their families.

"There was a positive culture across the hospital and staff told us they were proud to work there," they added.

The report did however, recognise further issues around patient records, which were not always fully completed within the outpatient department.

Manchester University NHS Trust was deemed 'good' overall, with inspectors highlighting areas of excellence in some hospitals.

Manchester Hospital signs entrance interior

Six other hospitals run by the trust - The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Saint Mary’s Hospital, Altrincham Hospital, Trafford General Hospital, Wythenshawe Hospital and Withington Community Hospital - were rated ‘good’.

Manchester Eye Hospital, along with the University Dental Hospital and the trust's mental health services, were rated 'outstanding'.

The three major areas where Manchester Royal Infirmary has been told it 'requires improvement'

Chief executive of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust Sir Michael Deegan said: “As the largest NHS Trust in the country and a leading provider of specialist healthcare services, this Good rating provides our patients with significant assurance about the quality of care they can expect to receive from MFT, whether that is in one of our hospitals, the community or in their home.

“To have received an overall Good rating for MFT, so soon after our merger to create the largest acute Trust in the UK, is a significant achievement and testament to the dedication of staff across all MFT services.

"This now provides us with a fantastic basis on which to move to ‘Outstanding’ in the future."

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