Top performing hospitals

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust is one of the top performing hospital trusts in the country, according to the 2005/2006 annual healthcheck published today by the Healthcare Commission.

The Healthcare Commission’s new performance ratings look at quality of care, achievements against NHS targets, and financial management. The new ratings range from Weak, Fair, Good or Excellent.

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust was judged as a good performer for both quality of care and financial management, and also met all the current NHS targets and core standards. This result means the trust’s performance was the best among NHS Trusts in the region and was also better than many foundation trusts. It confirms the findings of the 2005 Dr Foster Hospital Guide which rated the NNUH as the top hospital in the region and one of the top three nationally.

Chairman David Prior said: “The current climate in the NHS is a tough one and that makes this news all the more of an achievement. I believe the commission's new performance rating system is much more wide-ranging and balanced than the old “star ratings”. Every individual member of hospital staff can be extremely proud of this outstanding performance.”

Chief executive Paul Forden said: “We are very pleased that the first of the new Healthcare Commission ratings of NHS performance has seen us achieve among the very best results in the region. We fully met the commission's core standards and the services we provide were judged to be of a high quality. This confirms much of what we already know our staff have been achieving and continue to achieve. We are determined to continue improving the care we already provide for our patients and to work towards achieving Foundation Trust status.”