SALISBURY NHS Foundation Trust has been rated as ‘good’ for the quality of its services and ‘excellent’ for its use of resources as part of the independent Care Quality Commission’s annual performance ratings.

Across the country hospitals have been given two ratings on the four-point scale looking at the standard of care and how resources are managed.

Issues such as patient safety, hygiene standards and dignity are all part of the assessment along with waiting times and accident and emergency provision.

Specific services such as sexual health facilities and chest pain clinics were also part of the review along with MRSA infection rates, how finances are managed and the success at meeting national health improvement initiatives.

Although overall performance was good, the Trust acknowledges that there are several areas where further improvement is needed including reducing the number of cancelled operations.

Out of around 28,000 operations that took place last year at Salisbury District Hospital, 274 were cancelled.

The Trust recognises more needs to be done to cut the figure and has started a new initiative to free up more time for planned surgery.

The commission also noted that some elements of stroke care were below the required standard.

Matthew Kershaw, Chief Executive of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust said: “Our staff work hard to provide high standards of care for our patients and our rating of good for quality of services reflects their commitment and professionalism. These ratings give us a feel for how we have achieved overall this year and reflect the fact that we have good quality and efficient systems in place to tackle the things that matter most to our patients – the provision of good quality, safe, timely, care. Clearly this is one way in which we are measured, and it’s important that we also continue to listen and learn from individual patient experiences and the feedback we receive from them.”