Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been rated “outstanding” overall for the quality of its care.

Previously, the trust had been awarded a “requires improvement” during the last inspection two years ago.

The trust achieved an “outstanding” for being well-led and caring and a “good” for being safe, effective and responsive, following inspections in May and June 2018.

Inspectors said they found staff treated patients with dignity and took the time to reassure patients and their families and ensure they understood treatment plans.

Inspectors said emergency department staff obtained cooked breakfasts for patients and their relatives who had been in the department overnight.

However, the Care Quality Commission also said there were areas the trust could improve on, including staff hand hygiene in the outpatients department and the numbers of middle grade doctors in the emergency department.

Professor Ted Baker, England’s chief inspector of hospitals, said: “There has been much improvement at Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The staff and leadership team deserve praise and congratulations for the care being provided to patients.

“The trust should be proud to be the first acute trust in the London region to receive an Outstanding rating for being well-led.”

However, a financial review of the trust’s performance in the past year found the trust “requires improvement” for the use of its resources, after it failed to meet its financial target.

Steve Russell, executive regional managing director of NHS Improvement, said: “Despite being very efficient, which is reflected in our assessment that the Trust is in the top 10 percent of hospitals for productivity, the trust was not able to deliver its financial plan.

“The trust is taking serious, well thought out, steps to address the areas that would improve its financial performance and future sustainability.”