The region's mental health trust has moved to allay concerns after a report revealed 258 recommendations from 98 reviews of serious incidents had not been addressed.

Incidents can range from patient deaths to patients who have fallen, or developed a pressure sore, under a definition set by the National Patient Safety Agency.

Detail of the number of outstanding recommendations was contained in a report to go before the board of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust tomorrow.

And in the report, the trust admitted: 'This is clearly a risk and identifies that learning may not be put in place.

'In addition the CQC reports have identified that learning at all levels of the organisation is not taking place and all teams will be required to share learning from incidents that occur in all areas of the trust, not just their own area.

'This will be followed up as part of the CQC quality improvement plan.'

Jane Sayer, director of nursing, quality and patient safety at the trust, said that as of yesterday, the figures had been reduced to 216 recommendations from 86 reports.

She said it was positive that there was a high number of recommendations, as it suggested staff wanted to raise standards, and that 586 improvement actions had been carried out since February 1, 2014.

'The recommendations can vary from a risk assessment, to training staff, or even changing a trust-wide policy,' she said. 'Depending upon the nature of each of these, some can be put in place immediately, others will take a while to roll out.

'Therefore, the recording and managing of recommendations is a rolling process; that is, although many actions are carried out on a daily basis within the trust, some will overlap over a period of time, and the number is unlikely to ever be at zero.'

She added: 'We are not complacent about this issue and there is much work ongoing to update and assure our board that this matter is being dealt with.

'We believe that, in many of the longest outstanding issues improvement actions have been delivered.

'However, in the past we have not been as efficient in reporting back when these are completed.

'Our Patient Safety Team have been tasked with ensuring that we are sharing learnings across the trust, and we now offer additional training and support to frontline staff to encourage them to not only implement the actions but to fully report back.

'We are also introducing a new quality post within each of our localities this year, and they will further support frontline managers on reporting back and on gathering evidence that actions are now in place.'

The news comes as Monitor has appointed a former NHS chief executive to help the trust get out of special measures.

The health regulator has appointed Alan Yates as improvement director at the troubled trust which was judged 'inadequate' by regulators earlier this month, amid concerns about staffing levels, safety of services and leadership.

Mr Yates has over 27 years NHS experience, over half which he has spent working for mental health trusts, including at Mersey Care NHS Trust.

He will be based at the trust part-time and will work alongside the trust's leadership.

Monitor said it would take further action if necessary.