Press release: The NHS is improving and the star system is improving - but there is still a long way to go
24 Jul 2002
NHS management commented today that it is early days for the ratings system in the NHS and there is still room for significant improvements to make it an effective guide to the overall performance of NHS organisations and a means of leveraging improvement.
This comes as the Secretary of State announces this year's ratings for all trusts, based on their performance against Government targets.
Gill Morgan, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: "We are committed to real public accountability in the NHS and there is a role for star ratings but it is important to recognise that alone they will never be an adequate explanation for patients because the information is too aggregated. They do not provide information about the quality of clinical services at the level of interest to a patient. Local report cards and other initiatives are being introduced in the NHS which will come closer to meeting this need."
Of the 304 NHS Trusts assessed, 10 were given a zero star rating. However, the Government has already acknowledged that many poorly rated trusts provide very good clinical services.
She continued: "It is still early days for this new system. There were serious concerns about the first star ratings*, for example, around the criteria used and the quality of data. We are pleased there have been improvements to the system but there is still a way to go. The Government and CHI recognise that much more needs to be done and we will be working with them to develop the system."
She concluded: "NHS trusts share the Government's ambition for top quality services. We now need to develop the measures and more robust and reliable data that gives us a better understanding of why particular services are struggling, and the support needed to get them back on track."
Ends
Notes for editors
- Gill Morgan, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, is available for interview on the morning of Thursday 25 July.
- *The NHS Confederation has produced a briefing, Lessons from the Star Ratings, which gives the views of NHS Trusts on the first ratings exercise in September 2001. Copies are available from the NHS Confederation media office.
- The NHS Confederation represents the organisations that make up the NHS. Our members include the majority of NHS trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts, health authorities and local health groups in Wales; trusts and NHS boards in Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.
- For further information please contact Amy Pott, the NHS Confederation media office on 020 7959 7239 or 07880 500726 (out of hours).
Contact details
- Contact Media Relations Manager Joanna Clason on 020 7074 3306 or 07798 571078 or Senior Media Officer Amy Darlington on 020 7074 3304 or 07767 770309. For out of hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500726.
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