NHS Trust scores top health check

The trust provides care for people with mental health problems

A health trust in Berkshire has scored top marks in an annual performance review of NHS services across England.

The Healthcare Commission report rated Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation as "excellent".

The trust, based in Bracknell, provides care for people with mental health problems across the county.

It was given top marks for the safety and dignity of care afforded to patients, cleanliness, waiting times and excellent finance management.

The trust has inpatient services based at Prospect Park Hospital in Reading, St Mark's Hospital in Maidenhead, Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot and Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.

As well as mental health care, the trust also provides drug and alcohol treatment services.

The annual report, in its third year, said: "Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust continued to provide an excellent quality of service to patients, having made improvements after the first year of the annual health check."

Other hospitals

Meanwhile, The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, based in Reading, improved from "fair" to "good" for the quality of its services, but was found to be "excellent" for a second year for its use of resources.

Ann Sheen, chief executive of its main site at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, said it was down to some key improvements.

"We've got a history here over the last five years of getting better and better each year," she said.

Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust fell from an "excellent" rating to a "good" rating for the quality of its services, but improved from "fair" to "excellent" for the use of its resources.

The Healthcare Commission's report is part of an in-depth analysis of the performance of England's 391 NHS trusts in 2007/2008.