Local Healthcare Is Star Quality

21/07/2004

Clinicians and staff in Cotswold and Vale are celebrating national recognition as a Two Star provider of quality health care for the local community.

Cotswold and Vale Primary Care Trust, which purchases and provides health services for 190,000 people over more than 600 square miles, has retained its Two Star rating, and has scored extra points in areas like access to GPs and supporting patients who want to quit smoking.

The Trust is measured against 28 other rural PCTs across the UK, its nearest comparable neighbour being South Wiltshire PCT. Its performance in 42 key areas was rated in a scale from significantly below England average to significantly above England average.

Key areas include: waiting times in Accident and Emergency, prescribing rates for certain drugs, waiting times for inpatient and outpatient appointments, and staff and patient opinion survey results.

Targets are rated from one to five, with five being excellent and one poor. Cotswold and Vale achieved a band five rating in six categories: cervical screening, coronary heart disease, flu vaccination, Health Equity Audit, child and adolescent mental health, and child protection.

"The award of Two Stars recognises the dedication and commitment of all our staff in the Trust to providing excellent healthcare that meets patients' needs," said Richard James, Chief Executive of Cotswold and Vale PCT.

"We also owe a big debt of thanks to Gloucestershire Hospitals Foundation Trust and the Partnership Trust, which have provided our patients with consistently excellent district general hospital and mental health services.

"We have done particularly well in areas like coronary heart disease, outpatient waiting times, providing equipment that patients can use at home, enabling easy access to GPs and supporting patients who want to stop smoking.

"The Trust is only two years old but, during the time we have been in existence, we have listened to our patients and staff, and have begun to develop services that are closer to home and in line with what they tell us they want."

Cotswold and Vale scored the lowest one rating in just two areas: GP appraisal and human resource management.

"Although our GPs were willing and ready to be appraised, we took the decision - based on cost - to only assess half our GPs last year, but all of them this year," said Richard James.

"This decision had a big impact on our star rating, as the other PCTs in our group all achieved 100 per cent appraisal targets."

The Trust achieved a two rating in MMR vaccination (76 per cent coverage against a national average of 80 per cent), and in patient access to assertive outreach services (mental health). In all other areas, its scores were three or four.

"The four out of 42 areas in which we scored just one or two have tipped the balance between us receiving a Three Star rating or remaining at Two Stars," said Mr James, "but this is still an impressive performance for our clinical teams and management.

"One thing that is very positive is that we are now measured against a cohort of similar rural PCTs that we can link with and share expertise in our development of patient services.

"I would like to congratulate the other Gloucestershire health trusts, which have also received their star ratings today.

"Gloucestershire Hospitals Trust, the Partnership Trust and the Ambulance Trust have provided our patients with excellent hospital, transport and mental health services. The Hospitals Trust and Partnership Trust have each been awarded Three Stars and the Ambulance Trust, Two Stars.

"Congratulations, also, to West Gloucestershire and Cheltenham and Tewkesbury PCTs, which have each received Three Stars."