A PRIVATE hospital manager praised her staff's "hard work and dedication" when it was given a rating of good at a recent inspection, eight months after being told to make urgent improvements.

Foscote Private Hospital in Banbury was visited in July by inspectors from the health watchdog Care Quality Commission (CQC), which deemed it "inadequate".

Staff members were found taking on roles in operating theatres – such as handling surgical instruments – which they were not properly trained for, and risk assessments for medicines were not carried out correctly.

But following months of hard work by the hospital's management and staff, they have been all the requirements have been met.

Hospital manager Ruth Thompson said: "When we got the first report all the staff took it hard.

"There has been a lot of change for them recently. We have a great team and some have been with us for quite a while.

"They are a dedicated team with one aim – to preserve the safety of our patients."

Following the first report, hospital staff have been undergoing extra training to meet national guidance, and have been given extra help with risk assessments.

Mrs Thompson said a new database had been set up to provide more detailed records of clinical incidents and complaints, and some of the hospital's trustees had been given bigger roles on the management committee.

She added: "We have worked so hard. We were expecting something good but to get the rating we got was fantastic.

"We want to go further now. We have looked at what the report said and are looking to improve so we can go up to the next level.

"This has been an independent hospital since 2014 and it is now that we want to start growing."

In the report, published on Monday, the hospital was rated as "good" in all the major categories including safe, effective and well-led services.

It said staff reported incidents in line with hospital policy, risk assessments for patients were completed and there were processes in place for patients who became unwell.

Inspectors added that staff were able to describe the different types of abuse and understood the importance of raising safeguarding concerns.

When the first report was published the hospital was told that it could face measures such as restricting admissions or fines if it did not improve standards.