Mixed fortunes in star ratings

Hospitals are graded on a number of key criteria

Two hospital trusts in the north of England have been given a ratings boost in their bid to be awarded foundation status under a controversial government scheme.

However another large trust in the region has been dealt a foundation blow, by having its star status drop a notch below the level needed to make the foundation grade.

The Commission for Health Improvement (CJI) has published performance ratings for 2002/03 for all acute and specialist hospitals, ambulance trusts, mental health trusts, and primary care trusts in England.

Earlier in 2003 the names of the NHS trusts which were seeking the status, giving some hospitals greater freedom, were released.

They included City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Trust and North Tees Hartlepool NHS Trust, which have now been rated by the CHI at the required three stars for foundation status.

But Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust has fallen to two stars. The ambitious trust scored poorly on waiting times for outpatients.

Patient volume

A trust spokesman said: "A careful examination of the CHI assessment shows that in most areas of performance the trust is demonstrating extremely high standards of performance.

"It has improved in a number of areas purely over the last year.

"The indicator that has led to the loss of three star status relates to waiting times for out-patient services, which represents a minute 0.7% of the overall caseload."

The trust said it has hit eight out of the nine key targets and had improved in the last year.

Referring to the waiting lists, trust chief executive Len Fenwick said it could not control the volume of patients referred to it and was constrained by limited revenues.

In the north-west of England, North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust scored no stars.

It operates the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, and the controversial PFI Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.

Ambulance services

There have been a number of complaints about a cut in bed numbers, catering staff disputes, and complaints about the new building from public sector union Unison.

Both Cumbria Ambulance Service and North East Ambulance Service scored three stars, but Tees East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Trust scored no stars.

Carlisle and District, Durham and Chester-le-Street, Eden Valley, and Northumberland primary care trusts all scored three stars.

The NHS star ratings show some trusts are still struggling to improve while others are falling behind.