EAST Lancashire’s hospitals and mental health services have been rated “excellent” by the official watchdog.

The Healthcare Commission placed both East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and Lancashire Care NHS Trust, which deals with adult mental health across the county, in the top bracket after its annual “health check” of medical services all over the UK.

NHS Blackburn with Darwen improved from “fair” last year to “good” this time around, while NHS East Lancashire, which covers Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale and the Ribble Valley, retained its “fair” rating. Both of these are primary care trusts, which provide medical services in the community and oversee GP surgeries.

The annual study, which looks at the targets met in all areas, including patient experience, value for money, cleanliness and plans for the future, came as a big boost for Lancashire Care, after it was rated “poor” in a July study which concentrated on patient care and safety in mental health wards.

In the health check, which studies a much wider range of targets, the trust improved from “fair” last year.

Dave Tomlinson, interim chief executive, said: “This is great news for the people of Lancashire who can be confident that the services they are receiving are of high quality. Staff have worked hard across the organisation to make real improvements to services which have resulted in the excellent ratings we have received this year.”

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals, also improved from “fair” last year.

Chief executive Marie Burnham said: “This study places us as one of the best clinically performing trusts in the country. I hope our patients can take confidence that the services offered by our hospitals have achieved such high standards.”

NHS East Lancashire’s director of commissioning Cath Galaska said the trust’s results showed improvements in many areas, despite its rating staying the same.

And Judith Griffin, chief executive of NHS Blackburn with Darwen, said her trust’s improved rating reflected the hard work put in by staff over the past year.