Four hospital trusts in the West Midlands have been advised to make improvements to dignity and nutrition for elderly patients.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) published more inspection findings in its campaign to improve dignity and respect in hospitals across England.

Inspectors ruled that South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust, University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust, running Edgbaston’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and Heart of England Foundation Trust, in charge of Heartlands, Solihull and Good Hope hospitals all met required standards for quality and safety.

But the CQC has recommended further improvements for all the trusts to ensure that they maintain the national standards.

Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was found to have passed quality and safety standards in all areas with no further work needed.

The latest reports are the fourth batch of inspections made public so far.

They focus on everything from whether patients are treated with dignity and respect as well as get appropriate food and drink when they need.

Earlier findings caused controversy for Alexandra Hospital, in Redditch, and has prompted Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust managers, which runs the hospital, to commission an independent review into dignity and nutrition.

Inspections discovered that an elderly patient being noted as malnourished on admission but not reassessed for 16 days and that many people were left with food out of their reach or meals taken away before they had time to eat them.

Harry Turner, Trust chairman, said actions had been introduced to address any problems and improve care.

“We have let down our patients, community and ourselves and we need to get to the bottom of why we weren’t compliant with these standards. The independent review will aim to ensure that actions are sustainable,” said Mr Turner.