Delivering world class

The NHS is on track to deliver world class healthcare services according to the Healthcare Commission's annual performance review of NHS Trusts. The annual health check shows that regionally for the third year running NHS Trusts in the north of England performed best overall for both quality of services and use of resources. NHS Trusts in the southwest however showed they are delivering the most improvement.

The ratings also show London is the only area of the country where performance for quality of services is declining – 48 per cent of NHS Trusts in London scored “excellent” or “good”, compared to 55 per cent last year. The problem areas for London center around access to services: A&E waiting times, access to GPs, the waiting time from referral to treatment, and screening for breast cancer.

Sir Ian Kennedy, Chairman of the Healthcare commission said, “Three years into this assessment, the public are entitled to expect urgent action at trusts, which are still performing poorly. The primary care sector has improved, but more is needed as this sector delivers 88 per cent of healthcare. Primary Care Trusts must redouble their efforts in areas such as access to GPs and the provision of choice.  Regionally, performance in most areas in England has improved but the NHS in London continues to face significant challenges.”

The NHS has taken a significant step forward under the sustained pressure of independent assessment he said. “It must now address the remaining concerns, root out poor and mediocre performance and get all organisations up to the standards of the best.”

To raise the bar on performance PCTs will need to follow the lead of those that scored “excellent” for quality of services and “good” or “excellent” on use of resources in the Commission’s annual health check. Top performers included Barnsley Primary Care Trust, Dorset Primary Care Trust, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust, Knowsley Primary Care Trust, Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust, Pennine Care NHS Trust, Salford Primary Care Trust, and South Tyneside Primary Care Trust.

Salford Primary Care Trust was rated the highest performing PCT in the country with “excellent” for both Quality of Services and Use of Resources. Salford is the only PCT in the country to be given the top score for both categories. Dr Mike Burrows, Salford PCT Chief Executive, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to learn we have earned a double ‘Excellent’ in our Annual Health Check – making us the highest performing PCT in the country.”

“We would like to congratulate our colleagues at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust for receiving a double “Excellent” in their Annual Health Check as well. These results strengthen the resolve of both organisations to carry on our good partnership work to improve the health of the people of Salford.”

Professor Eileen Fairhurst, Salford PCT Chairman, added: “These fantastic results make us even more determined in our efforts to provide world class health care for the people of Salford. The results cover the period April 2007 to March 2008 so we are already working on areas for improvement to ensure we keep improving services for people in Salford.”

NHS Barnsley received a rating of “excellent” for its quality of services and ‘good’ in its use of resources. The rating places NHS Barnsley in the top six per cent of all NHS Trusts in England and the best performing in this category within Yorkshire and Humberside. Tom Sheard, Chair of NHS Barnsley said, “The 2007/08 results are fantastic. It is a pleasure to see that NHS Barnsley has achieved the highest possible rating in quality of services and has been continuously improving since the ratings were introduced in 2005/06. Having put processes in place, we have continued to improve areas identified from the Annual Health Check with significant results.”

To compile its health check The Healthcare Commission rated each trust as “excellent”, “good”, “fair” or “weak” for both quality of services and use of resources. The assessment is made using thousands of items of data related to performance, information gathered from patients and the public, and inspections targeted at one in five NHS Trusts.

Nationally, for quality of services, the Healthcare Commission rated 100 trusts (26 per cent) “excellent”, 139 (36 per cent) as “good”, 132 (34 per cent) as “fair” and 20 (five per cent) as “weak”. Two years ago, only 41 per cent of trusts were rated excellent or good, and 59 per cent were rated at the bottom of the spectrum as fair or weak.

For use of resources, 94 trusts (24 per cent) were “excellent”, 145 (37 per cent) were “good”, 132 (34 per cent) were “fair” and 20 (five per cent) were “weak”.  Two years ago, just 16 per cent were excellent or good, while 84 per cent were fair or weak.