A LOCAL health trust is providing a fair service but has not done enough to help adults with diabetes, inspectors have found.

Ealing Primary Care Trust (PCT), achieved 22 out of 29 national targets, but according to the Healthcare Commission, an independent inspection body, the way it helps diabetes patients deal with their condition is weak.

Robert Creighton, chief executive of Ealing PCT, said the trust is in the top 30 and is already making changes to improve its diabetes service.

He said: "The changes are about appointing more nurses, improving the way Ealing Hospital works with patients and trying to deal with the problem before it becomes too serious.

"We just needed a little bit more and we would have been in the good category. Next year we want to be demonstrably in the good category."

The trusts use of resources, including financial management and value for money, has improved since last year, meaning it will now have more money to put back into the hospital.

Mr Creighton said: "Last year the great priority was to control expenditure. This year, and for the next few years, we will be able to spend more money but we need to make sure we spend it wisely."

Ealing Hospital NHS Trust was rated good and West London Mental Health Trust was judged to be excellent by the commission, which also praised the PCT's work in a number of areas.

The PCT's work to reduce the number of smokers and the impact of second hand smoke on the community, was considered excellent and its substance misuse services good.

Mr Creighton said: "We are delighted that we have improved our rating for use of resources. We know there are areas in which we need to do better and are already investing in initiatives to improve the quality of NHS services in Ealing.

"I know how frustrated and disappointed many people were by the impact on NHS services of deficits in London in 2006/2007, but the picture this year is much brighter.

"We are starting to see the return of funding that was deducted from our budgets in order to ensure that the NHS in London balanced its books last year."

The PCT failed to meet targets for improving life outcomes of adults and children with mental health problems, and substantially reducing the mortality rate for suicide.

It was rated fair on heart failure services, diagnosis and adult community mental health services, and attracted a fair rating overall.