The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, has been ranked the worst NHS trust in England, according to newly published league tables reintroduced by the Labour government. The tables, which cover all 205 NHS trusts in England, place Moorfields Eye Hospital in London at the top.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the move aims to tackle the 'postcode lottery' in care quality and speed. However, health experts have warned that the rankings are of 'limited use' to patients and could discourage people from seeking treatment at lower-rated trusts.
The league tables are based on 30 metrics, including A&E waiting times, planned treatment delays, financial performance, and patient experience. They will be updated quarterly. High-performing trusts will gain greater autonomy, while poorer performers will receive 'enhanced support' to improve.
Thea Stein, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust, noted that including financial metrics makes the tables less useful for patients choosing a hospital. Danielle Jefferies of the King’s Fund added that a single rating cannot capture the complexity of hospital performance, especially for trusts running multiple hospitals.
The tables revive a system first introduced as 'star ratings' in 2000 under Tony Blair, which were scrapped by the coalition government in 2010. A Department of Health official insisted the aim is not 'naming and shaming' but identifying areas for improvement.
