The Dr Foster Hospital guide has focused on Hospital Standardised Mortality Rates and patient safety. Dr Foster assessed the Norfolk and Norwich mortality rate as 99.9 where 100 is the expected norm. A score of less than 100 means fewer patients died than would be expected and greater than 100 means more patients died than would be expected.

And the health analysts have also scored hospitals on a range of patient safety measures. Band 5 is the highest patient safety and 1 is the lowest patient safety score. Dr Foster rated the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as Band 4 – the second highest banding.

Earlier this month the Care Quality Commission published the results of its unannounced infection control inspection carried out at NNUH at the end of October. The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital fully met all 15 infection prevention standards.

The CQC performed an unannounced inspection on 21st October 2009 to assess whether Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is adequately protecting patients, workers and others from healthcare-associated infection.

Chief Executive Anna Dugdale said: “This type of information is very important to us and to patients who want to be able to compare hospitals on the basis of clinical outcomes and patient safety. We are pleased that the Dr Foster hospital guide shows we have good clinical outcomes and low infection rates but we are determined to improve on that position”.