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INTERACTIVE maps show the best and worst rated hospitals across England - as Sir Keir Starmer vows to overhaul the ";broken" NHS.

As the PM pledged landmark reforms to resuscitate the creaking health service, it was revealed some 49 per cent of hospitals in England were rated 'Inadequate' or 'Requires Improvement'.

Six hospitals across the UK were rated as 'Inadequate' by the CQC
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Six hospitals across the UK were rated as 'Inadequate' by the CQCCredit: Getty
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivers a speech on the NHS in central London Credit: Reuters
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivers a speech on the NHS in central London Credit: Reuters

Meanwhile, just under seven per cent of hospitals were deemed to be performing "exceptionally well" and rated 'Outstanding'.

The remaining 44 per cent of hospitals in England were rated 'Good', meaning they're "performing well and meeting expectations".

It comes as a major report from surgeon Lord Ara Darzi today warned the NHS is in critical condition after a decade of “unforgivable” damage.

The damning review states that in the best case scenario, the health service will take four years beyond the next election to return to peak performance standards.

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'UNFORGIVABLE'

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In his speech this morning, Sir Keir cited figures of delayed routine treatments of thousands of patients in England, claiming they represent "thousands of avoidable deaths" that "could have been saved".

And the Labour leader made it his mission to ram through the biggest programme of NHS reform in 75 years - even if it angers stubborn health union leaders.

He warned: "When I arrived as leader of the Labour Party I knew we had to change it. There was a lot of resistance, but we pressed on and did it.

“If there’s one common theme of what I’ve done for a living for some time now it’s coming in and bringing about change. I’m determined we will bring about the change here.”

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Postcode lottery

The CQC inspects and regulates health and social care services in England.

It assesses hospitals on five categories, examining whether they're:

  • Safe
  • Effective
  • Caring
  • Responsive
  • Well-led

The CQC then produces an overall rating for each hospital, ranging from 'Outstanding' to 'Good', 'Requires Improvement’, or ‘Inadequate’.

NHS Wes Streeting orders ‘warts and all’ probe of NHS to tell the ‘hard truths’ of what needs fixing

Medical negligence specialists  reviewed CQC data to reveal the locations of the best and worst-rated in the country.

A total of 22 hospitals across England were rated 'Outstanding', accounting for 6.8 per cent of services.

Meanwhile, 141 hospitals were rated 'Good'.

But a whopping 152 NHS hospitals in England were deemed to require improvement in their services - meaning they aren't performing well as they should be.

And a total of six hospitals were deemed to be performing so badly that the CQC thought it necessary to taken enforcement action against the providers - rating the hospitals as 'Inadequate'.

Worst performing hospitals

Many poorly-rated hospitals were clustered in areas like London, Manchester and Sheffield.

According to Patient Claim Line, the area with the highest number of badly performing hospitals was London, with a total of 16 facilities rated as 'Requiring Improvement' or 'Inadequate'.

Manchester and Sheffield were next, with four poorly rated hospitals each.

Three hospitals in Leicester failed to meet required CQC standards, while Ashford, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northwood, Orpington, Plymouth, Southampton, Wirral and Worcester had two poorly-rated services each.

CQC inspectors raised concerns about the following worst-rated hospitals:

  1. The Hillingdon Hospital, Uxbridge
  2. Hull Royal Infirmary, Hull
  3. The York Hospital, York
  4. The Barkantine Centre, London
  5. Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Blackpool
  6. Corbett Hospital, Stourbidge

Inspectors at The Hillingdon Hospital raised concerns about a "deterioration in infection prevention and control”, finding "inconsistencies in hand hygiene practice amongst staff”.

Inspectors also noted that there was “poor recognition of sepsis” and they “were not assured that high-risk patient groups were screened for MRSA at pre-admission”.

Key findings from Lord Darzi's report
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Key findings from Lord Darzi's report

The findings of Lord Darzi's review on the NHS

LORD Darzi's report sets out key areas of concern:

DETERIORATING HEALTH

The health of the nation has deteriorated, with more years spent in ill-health. Factors affecting health, such as poor quality housing, low income and insecure employment, “have moved in the wrong direction over the past 15 years, with the result that the NHS has faced rising demand for healthcare from a society in distress”.

SURGE IN CHRONIC CONDITIONS

There has been a “surge” in multiple long-term conditions, including a rise in poor mental health among children and young people. Fewer children get their vaccines and fewer adults now participate in things such as breast cancer screening.

MISSED TARGETS

Waiting times targets are being missed across the board, including for surgery, cancer care, A&E and mental health services. The report says “long waits have become normalised” and “A&E is in an awful state”, with long waits likely to be causing an additional 14,000 more deaths a year, according to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. By April 2024, about one million people were waiting for mental health services. The overall NHS waiting list stands at 7.6 million.

STRUGGLE TO ACCESS GP

People are struggling to see their GP. “GPs are seeing more patients than ever before, but with the number of fully qualified GPs relative to the population falling, waiting times are rising and patient satisfaction is at its lowest ever level.”

CANCER CARE LAGS BEHIND

Cancer care still lags behind other countries and cancer death rates are higher than in other countries. There was “no progress whatsoever” in diagnosing cancer at stage I and II between 2013 and 2021. However, more recent figures show some improvement.

FALLING DEATH RATES STALL

Progress in cutting death rates from heart disease has stalled while rapid access to treatment has deteriorated. For example, the time for the highest-risk heart attack patients to have a rapid intervention to unblock an artery has risen by 28% from an average of 114 minutes in 2013-14 to 146 minutes in 2022-23.

POOR BUDGETING

The NHS budget “is not being spent where it should be” and too great a share is being “spent in hospitals, too little in the community, and productivity is too low”. Too many hospital beds are taken up with people needing social care.

COMMUNITY CARE NEGLECTED

Between 2009 and 2023 the number of nurses working in the community fell by 5%, while the number of health visitors dropped by nearly 20%.

MILLIONS TOO SICK TO WORK

At the start of 2024, 2.8 million people were economically inactive due to long-term sickness, with most of the rise since the pandemic down to mental health conditions. The report said “being in work is good for wellbeing” and having more people in work grows the economy. “There is therefore a virtuous circle if the NHS can help more people back into work.”

CRUMBLING HOSPITALS

Raids on capital budgets have left the NHS with crumbling buildings and too many outdated scanners, and “parts of the NHS are yet to enter the digital era”. The report says the “NHS is in the foothills of digital transformation”.

PANDEMIC EFFECT

The NHS delayed, cancelled or postponed far more routine care during the pandemic than any comparable health system.

EXHAUSTED WORKFORCE

Too many NHS staff are “disengaged” and there are “distressingly high-levels of sickness absence”. The pandemic was “exhausting” for many and the result has been a “marked reduction in discretionary effort across all staff groups”.

RED TAPE

Regulatory-type organisations now employ some 7,000 staff, or 35 per NHS provider trust, having doubled in size over the past 20 years.

On Hull Royal Infirmary’s maternity ward, inspectors noted that “systems, processes, and risk in the antenatal day unit / triage department were not well managed which led to long delays in women being seen and a chaotic environment which was not fit for purpose”.

They also flagged that "staff did not always work well together across the different units and some staff spoke about unkindness between staff”.

Writing about Blackpool Victoria Hospital’s urgent and emergency services unit, CQC inspectors observed that “at times, the department felt chaotic and we had concerns about the lack of oversight the leadership team had of the risks”.

Best performing hospitals

The CQC rated a total of 22 hospitals across the UK as 'Outstanding'.

  1. Royal Surrey County Hospital
  2. East Surrey Hospital
  3. Homerton University Hospital
  4. Frimley Park Hospital
  5. Hexham General Hospital
  6. Queen Charlottes and Chelsea Hospital
  7. Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
  8. King’s Mill Hospital
  9. Conquest Hospital
  10. Fairfield General Hospital
  11. Moorfields Eye Hospital
  12. The Royal Marsden – London
  13. The Royal Marsden – Sutton
  14. Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  15. The Walton Centre
  16. Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital
  17. Dental Hospital Manchester
  18. Royal Manchester Eye Hospital
  19. Leeds Dental Institute
  20. Thomas Linacre Centre
  21. Dental Hospital
  22. Wansbeck General Hospital

NHS review is shocking - but not surprising

By Sam Blanchard, Health Correspondent

LORD Darzi's review is shocking but not surprising. It is grim to read all the NHS's faults and failings in one place but people working in and around the health service knew what it would say long before it was written.

Unions and member organisations have been screaming about 'challenges' and 'pressures' for years, while millions of patients felt the same problems as anger and agony.

We already knew patients were waiting too long, dying too soon and crying out for help. So, too, are staff who worked their fingers to the bone through the pandemic thinking things would improve when Covid blew over - only to find better times never came.

Two of Lord Darzi's three main explanations are 'political choices' (the Covid pandemic is number three), which gives Labour a free pass to blame the Tories - but Starmer and Streeting must turn bark into bite, and fast.

They say they cannot raise taxes for it and any extra cash would risk being taken from budgets needed for Britain's many other crises, the Health Secretary admitted in a speech last night.

Darzi's review calls for more money for GPs - but overloaded hospitals won't open their purses. It calls for spending on new technology and modern buildings - but staff will strike again without pay rises.

There is no magic money tree and no magic medicine tree, either. Many of the problems are baked in for years to come: we can improve public health and urge Brits to live healthier lifestyles but that could take a generation to have an impact.

The diagnosis is as clear as it can be. Any prescription from Labour will anger somebody somewhere, but it must be unflinching and government and the NHS must actually commit to it for a decade or more

CQC inspectors thought the following 152 hospitals had room to improve their services:

  1. Luton and Dunstable Hospital
  2. Leicester General Hospital
  3. Leicester Royal Infirmary
  4. Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
  5. Kettering General Hospital
  6. Worcestershire Royal Hospital
  7. Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
  8. The Princess Royal Hospital
  9. Macclesfield District General Hospital
  10. Yeovil District Hospital
  11. Stepping Hill Hospital
  12. Musgrove Park Hospital
  13. Leighton Hospital
  14. Southport and Formby District General Hospital
  15. Ormskirk District General Hospital
  16. Bassetlaw District General Hospital
  17. Doncaster Royal Infirmary
  18. Montagu Hospital, Mexborough
  19. North Middlesex University Hospital
  20. Royal United Hospital Bath
  21. Stroud Maternity Hospital
  22. Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford)
  23. North Devon District Hospital
  24. Great Western Hospital
  25. Horton General Hospital
  26. Pinderfields Hospital
  27. Dewsbury and District Hospital
  28. Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham
  29. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
  30. The County Hospital
  31. Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
  32. Torbay Hospital
  33. Crowborough Birthing Centre
  34. Inspire Neurocare Worcester
  35. Maidstone Hospital
  36. The Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury
  37. Princess Royal Hospital
  38. The Countess of Chester Hospital
  39. St Richard’s Hospital
  40. Worthing Hospital
  41. Royal Sussex County Hospital
  42. Freeman Hospital
  43. Royal Victoria Infirmary
  44. University Hospital Lewisham
  45. Queen Elizabeth Hospital
  46. King George Hospital
  47. Queen’s Hospital
  48. William Harvey Hospital
  49. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital
  50. Royal Derby Hospital
  51. Queens Hospital
  52. Chorley and South Ribble Hospital
  53. Royal Preston Hospital
  54. Russells Hall Hospital
  55. University Hospital Aintree
  56. New Royal Liverpool University
  57. Cumberland Infirmary
  58. West Cumberland Hospital
  59. George Eliot NHS Hospital
  60. Cheltenham General Hospital
  61. Lister Hospital
  62. Dorset County Hospital
  63. Basildon University Hospital
  64. Broomfield Hospital
  65. Southend University Hospital
  66. Manor Hospital
  67. Poole Hospital
  68. Queen’s Medical Centre
  69. University College Hospital & Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing
  70. Royal Lancaster Infirmary
  71. Furness General Hospital
  72. St George’s Hospital (Tooting)
  73. St James’s University Hospital
  74. Arrowe Park Hospital
  75. Lincoln County Hospital
  76. Saint Mary’s Hospital
  77. Wythenshawe Hospital
  78. North Manchester General Hospital
  79. Chesterfield Royal Hospital
  80. Southampton General Hospital
  81. St Mary’s Hospital
  82. Scarborough Hospital
  83. Royal Stoke University Hospital
  84. The Princess Alexandra Hospital
  85. Peterborough City Hospital
  86. Hinchingbrooke Hospital
  87. James Paget Hospital
  88. Airedale General Hospital
  89. The Royal Free Hospital
  90. Colchester General Hospital
  91. Medway Maritime Hospital
  92. John Radcliffe Hospital
  93. Alexandra Hospital
  94. St Peter’s Hospital
  95. Castle Hill Hospital
  96. Derriford Hospital
  97. Royal Cornwall Hospital
  98. St Austell Hospital – Penrice Birthing Unit
  99. Northampton General Hospital
  100. King’s College Hospital
  101. Croydon University Hospital
  102. South Tyneside District Hospital
  103. Sunderland Royal Hospital
  104. Princess Royal University Hospital
  105. County Hospital
  106. Salford Royal Hospital
  107. Royal Oldham Hospital
  108. Royal Hallamshire Hospital
  109. Northern General Hospital
  110. Jessop Wing
  111. Diana Princess of Wales Hospital
  112. Scunthorpe General Hospital
  113. Glenfield Hospital
  114. Pontefract Hospital
  115. Barking Birth Centre
  116. Whipps Cross University Hospital
  117. The Royal London Hospital
  118. University Hospital of Hartlepool
  119. University Hospital of North Tees
  120. Orpington Hospital
  121. Rotherham General Hospital
  122. Northwick Park Hospital
  123. Ealing Hospital
  124. Pilgrim Hospital
  125. Ashford Hospital
  126. Watford General Hospital
  127. Newham University Hospital
  128. Barnet General Hospital
  129. Westmorland General Hospital
  130. Kent & Canterbury Hospital
  131. West Suffolk Hospital
  132. The Ipswich Hospital
  133. St Albans City Hospital
  134. Hemel Hempstead General Hospital
  135. Victoria Infirmary
  136. Clatterbridge Hospital
  137. Mount Vernon Cancer Centre
  138. Queen Elizabeth II Hospital
  139. Queen Mary’s Hospital
  140. Central Middlesex Hospital
  141. Fleetwood Hospital
  142. Evesham Community Hospital
  143. Charing Cross Hospital
  144. Hammersmith Hospitals
  145. Sandwell General Hospital
  146. Manchester Royal Infirmary
  147. Weston Park Hospital
  148. Hannah House
  149. Ludlow Community Hospital
  150. Mount Gould Hospital
  151. Royal South Hants Hospital
  152. Mount Vernon Hospital

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In response to Lord Darzi's bombshell report - which found that  A&E queues have exploded in size while progress in diagnosing cancer cases has stagnated - PM Keir Starmer declared the NHS "broken".

He insisted the NHS must “reform or die”, setting out a 10-year plan to do so.

Keir's 10-year plan for the NHS

THE Prime Minister said the Government is working on a 10-year plan to transform the NHS. This includes:

  • Digital Transformation: transition to digital healthcare with innovations like fully digital patient records and the NHS app for self-referrals and data transparency.
  • Community-Based Care: shift care from hospitals to local communities, increase GP access, and offer virtual consultations and home-based care through virtual wards.
  • Prevention Focus: prioritise prevention with NHS health checks, early interventions, and focus on children's mental health and dental care.
  • Integrate Health and Social Care: streamline health and social care to reduce hospital stays and free up resources.
  • Workforce Support: end NHS strikes and employ trainee GPs to strengthen the healthcare workforce.
  • Long-Term Commitment: a decade-long reform plan to future-proof the NHS
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