A SERVICE which cares for patients in the community has been given a good rating by a government watchdog.

Laburnum Lodge in Breightmet was given the good grade in every area by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The purpose built two storey intermediate care facility helps and prepares patients to make the move from hospital to home as well as helping "fragile" people avoid admission to hospital.

The stay is six weeks or less and the CQC said that support continues in the form of a care package when residents are able to go home.

Inspectors for the CQC found: "People who used the service and the family members were complimentary about the care provided.

"Comments were made about the staff's attentiveness, care and the fact they worked very hard.

"A comment was made by a family member on how clean and well cared for their relative looked and how much progress they had made since coming to Laburnum Lodge."

They added: "Relatives told us 'my relative looks so much better since coming here — they look clean, tidy and well fed'."

Cabinet member for Adult Safeguarding and Adult Social Care Cllr Asif Ibrahim said: “This is excellent news but hasn’t come as a complete surprise. We are extremely proud of the intermediate care services that we provide at Laburnum Lodge — which opened a couple of years ago as part of our intermediate care review — and know that the staff work very hard to ensure every person receives the best possible care and consideration after leaving hospital."

He added: "It is always nice for them to receive compliments from residents and their relatives, and reassuring that the Care Quality Commission recognised this as part of their inspection.”