Clean bill of health for NHS trusts

NHS trusts across the West Midlands have been given a clean bill of health today by England's independent healthcare watchdog.

Of the region's 43 trusts, including acute and specialist, ambulance, mental health and primary care, 28 were classed as excellent or good for quality of services, and 15 judged fair.

Not a single trust was given a weak rating by the Healthcare Commission – showing a marked improvement in healthcare.

Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust was among those showing the most notable improvement.

It went up a rating for the second year running to provide an excellent quality of service – and after being criticised last year for the weak handling of its finances, was this year given an improved fair score.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust also showed lessons had been learned after a damning rating of weak in both categories last time round, jumping two scores from weak to good for its service delivery, and a fair report for its cash management.

And there were also top scores all round for South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

The services and finances of Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust, Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust were reported to be in good health too.

And Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust patients were also assured they were in good hands.

Shropshire's debt-ridden NHS Trust – Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust went up a rating from weak to fair for its finance management and got a good rating on its service delivery.

Birmingham Children's Hospitals NHS Foundation was worse this year with its patient care dropping from excellent to fair.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was excellent on its quality of service.

How our health trusts rated

These are the ratings from the Healthcare Commission. They relate to Quality of Service and Management of Finances:

Birmingham Children's Hospitals NHS Foundation: Quality of service, Excellent; Management of Finances Excellent

Dudley Group of Hospitals: Good/ Good

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust: Good/Good

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospital NHS Trust: Good/Good;

Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust: Good/Fair

Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust: Excellent/Fair

Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust: Good/Fair

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust: Good/Fair;