Patients have been told their concerns about care at a mental health trust are being taken seriously after it was graded as “requires improvement” in its latest inspection.
The Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) was found to be below the expected standard in four out of five area investigated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) earlier this month.
Concerns were raised about the number of out of area placements, where patients are treated outside of Norfolk and Suffolk, - but the CQC rated it as good for its caring staff.
At its board of directors meeting held in Bury St Edmunds on Thursday, chairwoman Marie Gabriel CBE said there is "a long way to go" for the NSFT to achieve its goals.
But she said: "We are not resting on our laurels. We will be putting a strong focus on these areas where we need to make rapid improvements."
She said the improvements identified in the inspection were "down to our staff and the way they serve our community".
However chief executive officer Jonathan Warren said rapid improvement boards had been set up to make more changes.
Chief nurse Diane Hull also said the NSFT had cut out of area placements to three as of this year, with specialists from the trust regularly meeting with those receiving care elsewhere.
Ms Hull added: "We are aware that although there is some improvement, there are people who require our services who will feel let down, and we will work tirelessly to improve this.
"We have to continue building and maintaining improvement action."
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