Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust praised by Health Secretary as new league tables published
Health Secretary James Murray has praised the ‘pioneering’ Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
It has been ranked seventh in the latest league tables for acute health trusts – up from eighth last year.
Mr Murray said: Almost two years ago, this government made a promise to get waiting lists down, improve access to care and repair the shocking state our NHS was found in. And we are doing just that.
“We have delivered the biggest improvement in NHS waiting times for 16 years, and behind those numbers are hundreds of thousands of patients getting treated faster, getting back to work, back to family life, and no longer waiting in pain or uncertainty.
“Last year, we published NHS league tables for the first time, helping patients understand how their local trust is performing and hold leaders to account for improving services.
“Northumbria Healthcare is pioneering the way forward, showing how this government’s record investment in the NHS is being translated into real progress for patients.
“Consistently ranked among the best in the country, it is helping people get seen faster in A&E, cutting waits for operations, and bringing more care closer to home.
“For patients needing care for things like breathing problems, bowel conditions or support in older age, the Trust is working more closely with local GPs so people get seen sooner - with some of the shortest waits in the country.
"At the same time, Northumbria is investing in the future of its communities by offering high-quality placements to young people and those changing careers, supporting local employment and tackling inequalities.”
He added: “This is exactly the kind of progress we need to see on the ground as we shift NHS care from sickness to prevention, out of hospitals and into the community. This is how we will deliver an NHS that is fit for the future.
“A month into my role as the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, I am determined to build on this progress.
“None of this is possible without the work of staff like those at Northumbria Healthcare. They are leading the way as we rebuild our NHS, and the country should be proud of them.”
Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Cambridge tops the rankings.