Confusion over hospital ratings

Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust, which runs Dewsbury, Pinderfields and Pontefract hospitals, announced it had scored above the national average in the NHS Friends and Family Test.

Mid Yorkshire said it had an overall score of 67 for whether patients would recommend it as a place to be treated, compared to the England average of 62 for July.

But a spreadsheet from NHS England put the trust’s overall rating at 64 and said the national average was actually 53.

Test results published on Mid Yorkshire’s website showed maternity care was rated at 77 for July, falling to 72 in August.

But separate figures rated the trust’s maternity services at 67.

Mid Yorkshire said its accident and emergency departments scored 64 in the test.

The NHS England spreadsheet rated Dewsbury A&E at 60, Pinderfields at 64 and Pontefract at 74, all better than the national average of 53.

Chief nurse Sally Napper said: “These are very encouraging results once again and clearly demonstrate how hard the trust is working to deliver first class patient care.”

The NHS Friends and Family Test was launched in April 2013 and will be carried out at GP practices from December 1 this year.