COUNCILLORS have welcomed news that stroke services in Bradford have shown major improvements in the past year.

Between December 2017 and March 2018 the Bradford Stroke Service was given an E rating by the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme - the lowest rating.

But at a meeting of Bradford Council's Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday, members were told that the service received a B rating at its most recent inspection late last year.

A presentation on the stroke service was given by NHS bosses, and Chair of the Committee Councillor Vanda Greenwood (Lab, Windhill and Wrose) said: "This is well deserved. Last year's results weren't brilliant, but fair play, you've come and told us that and told us what has been done to improve. This is a good news story, we like those."

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Locally, acute stroke services are provided in Bradford Royal Infirmary, with Airedale's services moved there in 2015.

At Wednesday's meeting Dr Bryan Gill, Chief Medical Officer at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said they felt the E rating "didn't match" the quality of service the trust felt it was actually delivering.

He said he was confident Bradford would be able to at least maintain it's B rating, although it was aiming for an A.

Airedale is currently rated D - but the committee was told that there were "measurable improvements" to the service there.