The Trust, which purchases and provides health services for 190,000 people over more than 600 square miles, has held its Two Star rating for the third year running. A ‘2 Star’ rating indicates that the Trust is performing well overall, but needs to take action to improve performance in certain areas.

Cotswold and Vale scored highly in areas including cervical screening, teenage pregnancy prevention and support for patients who want to quit smoking: 1,197 people stopped smoking for four weeks or more, exceeding target by 280.

The Trust achieved seven of its eight key targets, but ‘significantly underachieved’ on financial management.

“We’ve faced a challenging year,” said Richard James, Chief Executive of Cotswold and Vale PCT. “Like many health trusts, we reported a year end deficit. Despite this, the quality of services we provide has ensured we retained two stars.”

As well as being judged on eight key targets, the Trust is measured against 28 other rural PCTs, its nearest comparable neighbour being South Wiltshire PCT.

It is measured against a ‘balanced scorecard’, with performance rated from one (poor) to five (excellent) in 32 categories. Cotswold and Vale achieved a band five rating in ten categories this year – four more than in 2003-04. These were:

• commissioning of new mental health workers and crisis resolution services
• NHS dentistry
• cervical screening (89.7% women in Cotswold and Vale screened, exceeding the national target by 9.7%)
• death rates from circulatory diseases, ages under 75
• ‘flu vaccinations
• health equity audit
• teenage pregnancy
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
• child protection
• data quality on ethnic group

“The award of two stars recognises the dedication and commitment of all our staff to providing excellent healthcare that meets patients’ needs,” said Mr James.

“We’ve done a lot to improve patient care over the last 12 months, for example introducing a falls clinic in the north Cotswolds and a primary mental health team in Stroud; proving ‘flu vaccinations for 75% of our elderly population; and supporting over a thousand people to successfully quit smoking for four weeks or more.

“Our staff have done brilliantly in often difficult circumstances. And we also owe a big debt of thanks to Gloucestershire Foundation Hospitals Trust and the Partnership Trust, which have provided us with consistently excellent hospital and mental health services.

“Both these trusts have achieved three stars in recognition of the work they do.”