THE Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Rowley Regis Hospital, as 'inadequate' as to whether it provides a service that is safe.

The CQC has given individual ratings to each of the core services at the trust’s hospitals — urgent and emergency services, medical care, surgery, critical care, maternity and family planning, services for children and young people, end of life care, and outpatients and diagnostic imaging.

The Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust was rated as 'requires improvement' overall following the CQC’s inspection, which took place in October, at Sandwell General Hospital and City Hospital.

Four of the trust’s core services were rated as 'requires improvement' — A&E, medical care, surgery, and children and young people’s services.

Critical care and end of life care were rated as 'good', while outpatient services were rated as 'inadequate'.

Professor Sir Mike Richards, England’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals, said: “While we witnessed areas of good practice it is clear that the trust has work to do.”

Toby Lewis, chief executive of Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, admitted standards had to rise.

He said: “We accept there is room for improvement, but we are very pleased about how we are getting on.”