Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) has climbed 46 places to 19th in the latest NHS trust rankings, breaking into England's top 20 and earning a 'high performing' rating. The trust, which runs major hospitals including Manchester Royal Infirmary and Wythenshawe Hospital, was praised by Health Secretary James Murray for its improvements.
The rankings, published on Thursday, assess trusts across seven key performance areas, including waiting times, cancer treatment targets, A&E performance, and ambulance response times. Financial performance is also considered, with trusts facing deficits unable to rank higher than segment three.
Another Greater Manchester trust, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, rose from third to second place, beaten only by Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. However, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust was rated 'low performing' at 111th, though it improved slightly from 115th.
James Murray said MFT is a 'prime example of what the NHS can be and should be', highlighting reduced inequalities, strengthened community services, and faster ambulance handover times. The league tables were introduced last September to help patients understand local performance and drive improvement.
