HEALTH chiefs in Burnley are celebrating after the trust's learning disability service received a top national accolade for the third year running.

The Charter Mark is awarded for excellence in public sector services and Burnley Health Care Trust's learning disability service is one of only three organisations in the North West to win the award for the third year running.

Chief executive David Chew said: "This award comes as a great honour to the trust and I am extremely proud of the achievement of managers and staff.

"To have won the Charter Mark once was a tremendous achievement. To maintain and improve that high standard of care and support to people with learning disabilities and their families - and to win a third time is testimony to the high quality provided by the service." Besides the three third-time winners, awards were also handed out for the second time to 23 North West organisations and across the country there were 214 winners, all except four were second or third time winners.

Dr Jack Cunningham, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said: "I warmly congratulate the North West winners because in winning for the second and third times they have responded to the challenge of providing the best public services.

"They have maintained and improved on setting standards of service, innovation, consultation and response, and on the most effective use of resources.

"They are all beacons of excellence. They are the best of the best and should serve as examples to us all."

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