TORBAY Care Trust has denied it is putting patients' health at risk.

The trust was among a number across the country accused by the group Action Against Medical Accidents (AvMA) of endangering patients.

A Freedom of Information Act request by AvMA suggested that the trust had not completed 23 patient safety alerts.

This means it had not responded to guidance from the National Patient Safety Agency to tighten up procedures and safety checks within a specific time period.

However, Torbay Care Trust has said that all but four alerts had been closed, with safety alerts being kept open until it was 'absolutely satisfied' the relevant health or social care service had provided full assurance.

A spokesman added: "Patient safety is of paramount importance to the Care Trust and we use the National Patient Safety alerts system as an important tool with which to assess the robustness of our systems and policies and inform our patient safety strategies and decisions.

"While a small number of alerts do remain open at present, this is in no way an indication of compromised patient safety.

"In fact it demonstrates the seriousness with which the Care Trust takes such responsibilities and our commitment to assuring the safety of in-house and commissioned services.

"As one of just a small number of integrated health and adult social care NHS trusts in the country, the Care Trust has applied the NPSA criteria for relevant alerts to this wider spectrum of services.

"Therefore, while we have been compliant within the definitions used by the NPSA, we have kept alerts open until we are absolutely satisfied that the relevant health or social care service has provided full assurance.

"As part of ongoing quality and safety monitoring, we have re-evaluated all alerts identified as open in December 2009 against the NPSA's standards.

"As a result, the Trust has assured itself that it is appropriate to close all but four of these alerts.

"We will continue to exercise vigilance and demand robust evidence from our provided and commissioned services to allow us to close these remaining alerts as soon as it is appropriate to do so."

The Department of Health said it will remind all NHS organisations of their obligations to record and action the alerts.