Introduction to NHS Trusts
New league tables evaluate the performance of NHS Trusts in England, which were published for the first time. Specialist hospitals take the top slots, with Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust ranked number one, followed by the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust and Cancer Centre The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
Performance Metrics
The rankings score NHS trusts on seven different areas, including waiting times for operations, cancer treatment, time spent in A&E, and ambulance response times. Their finances are also assessed, and it is possible that a hospital rated highly for clinical care will be marked down if they are running up a larger than expected deficit.
Ranking System
The trusts are then sorted into four categories, which the government calls "segments." The first segment reflects the best overall performers, and the fourth lists the worst. Trusts that are experiencing financial difficulties cannot be ranked higher than segment three, even if they are assessed to have a good standard of care.
Public Access to Information
The public will be able to use the league tables to check the performance of their local hospital, ambulance service, or mental health trust. For example, Moorfields in London tops the list of trusts with a score of 1.39, while the Queen Elizabeth Hospital has a score of 3.35.
Response from Hospital Officials
A spokesperson for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital said, "Our patients deserve the highest standards of care, and we are sorry that in some of our performance areas… we have fallen short. Immediate steps are being taken to address the issues."
Government Involvement
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the tables would help inform the public and allow them to exercise choice. However, trusts have questioned whether they are using the right metrics. The Department of Health said that from next year, the best-performing trusts would have more freedom to develop services around local needs, while those underperforming would receive "enhanced support" but their bosses could also have pay reduced.
Concerns About the League Tables
NHS Providers, which represents trusts, said there were questions over whether the league tables were accurately identifying the best-performing organizations. The managing director, Daniel Elkeles, said, "For league tables to really drive up standards, tackle variations in care, and boost transparency, they need to measure the right things, be based on accurate, clear, and objective data, and avoid measuring what isn’t in individual providers’ gift to improve."
Future Plans
From next summer, the tables will be expanded to cover integrated care boards, which are responsible for planning health services at a local level. Streeting singled out for praise Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which was the highest-ranking non-specialist NHS trust and ninth overall. He said the trust had been able to integrate its A&E response with community services so people could receive care at home, keeping appointments free for planned operations and procedures.
