Town's hospital awarded two stars

Two-star status means the hospital is performing well overall

Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust has received two stars in this year's NHS performance ratings.

The two-star status means the hospital, based at Musgrove Park in Taunton, is performing well overall.

The NHS performance ratings assess performance in all NHS trusts for the year ending 31 March 2005.

The trust narrowly missed a key target on cancer care, whereby 98% of patients referred with suspected cancer should see a specialist within two weeks.

At Musgrove Park 97% of urgent cancer referrals were seen within two weeks.

Liz Redfern, acting chief executive at Musgrove Park, said: "We are pleased to have been awarded two stars.

'Very confident'

"This is a direct result of the hard work and commitment shown by all staff in achieving the wide range of targets set for the trust last year."

Chief executive Mike Williams added: "I am very confident about the future at Musgrove Park.

"The award of two stars is a good position on which to build."

Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust, with an annual budget of £135m, serves a population of 340,000, mostly living in the area served by Dorset and Somerset Strategic Health Authority.

The trust slipped from three stars in 2003 to two in 2004.

Elsewhere in Somerset, Weston Area Health Trust scored no stars for the second year running while Bath's Royal United Hospital emulated its 2004 performance by scoring just one star.

Yeovil District Hospital stayed on three stars.