WORCESTERSHIRE Acute Hospitals NHS Trust could potentially be removed from special measures for the first time since 2015, say self-assured hospital bosses.

The trust, which runs Redditch's embattled Alexandra Hospital, is due a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection.

The imminent inspection will examine 14 of the 22 core services, with the results coming out in May.

And CEO at the trust, Michelle McKay, and trust chairman Caragh Merrick, are confident that measures put in place to help improve services will be enough to drag the trust of special measures.

Redditch MP Rachel Maclean recently met the bosses, along with Simon Trickett, chief officer of NHS Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG, the local commissioning group.

She said the purpose was to find out the latest on all the "important issues" surrounding the trust.

"It was good to have cross-party unity on the matters that came up," said Mrs Maclean, speaking after the meeting.

"There is an imminent upcoming inspection which will examine 14 of the 22 core services, and the results of that will be published in May.

"Both Michelle and Caragh were confident that these measures will have improved, which could potentially lift he trust out of special measures, which is good news indeed.

"The long-term financial plan was also discussed, and this could see the trust in the black within three to four years, while recruitment, which had been an issue in our local hospitals, is looking altogether more positive with successful campaigns bringing staff to the trust."

She also said that the much-maligned £29m came up.

The cash is part of the £29.6million capital funding promised to Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust by the Government.

The Department of Health recently approved an application for £3million to fund work to improve patient flow at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, but the rest has yet to be seen.

The MP added: "The issue of the £29m capital funding was also discussed of course, and the final business case that will enable access to the majority of the funding is due to be submitted in the next few weeks."

Following the trust's most recent CQC inspection, in November 2017, it was told it must ensure people receive better care.

England's chief inspector of hospitals found improvement in the trust’s urgent and emergency and medical care services, but said more work was needed.

The trust was placed into special measures in December 2015 and has been subject to frequent inspections by the health watchdog since then.

It is currently rated as Inadequate overall.