Suffolk: Hospital Tops List For Care

2 May 2012, 12:41 | Updated: 2 May 2012, 12:43

West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds has been named the country's best hospital for the quality of care it delivers to its patients for the second year running.

The trust was presented with the accolade last night at the Top Hospital Awards 2012, run by independent healthcare intelligence company CHKS. West Suffolk won the title ahead of four other finalists in the quality of care category. 

The award comes after West Suffolk recorded good performance against a number of key criteria, including the length of time patients stay in hospital and the rate of emergency readmissions. Waiting times, mortality rates and whether the patients' care pathway proceeded as originally planned were also analysed.

"We are absolutely delighted to have won this prestigious national award for a second consecutive year," said Stephen Graves, chief executive at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. 

"It is a tremendous achievement for everybody at West Suffolk Hospital and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff. My thanks go to all of them.

The award is an indication of the high standards in place across the hospital and confirms that our patients are receiving safe, effective care. Winning this award for two years in a row shows that we are performing consistently well in a variety of key areas, including length of stay and waiting times. 

Despite this success, we will not become complacent and will always look for ways to improve still further. That way, we can ensure everyone coming to the hospital not only receives the best possible care, but also has a positive experience while using our services."