Quality of care in region falls; HEALTH: Trusts balance books but there are worries on wards.

Byline: Alison Dayani

THIS year's Care Quality Commission ratings make worrying reading for patients across the West Midlands.

Despite 70 per cent of hospitals, primary care trusts and other services scoring extremely well where the balance books are concerned, the actual quality patients receive on the wards is a very different story.

Only three trusts achieved the ultimate rating of 'excellent' for both quality of services and financial management - The Royal Orthopaedic Foundation Hospital, in Northfield; University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust.

Andrea Gordon, regional director for the Care Quality Commission, said: "Care and finances go hand in hand. If a trust is performing weakly but getting an excellent rating for financial management you have to question what is going on and we will look at that. There is some good news but overall results in the West Midlands are disappointing. There are too few positive results across the board."

Among those with a fall in ratings is Heart of England Foundation Trust, which is one of the largest in the Midlands and runs Heartlands, Solihull and Good Hope hospitals.

It has been one of the strongest performers in recent years but failed to meet its four-hour A&E targets and to correctly record data.

Chief executive Mark Goldman said: "We are determined to improve."

Elsewhere Birmingham Children's Hospital retained its rating from last year but health inspectors focused on long waits for heart surgery over 26 weeks and high numbers of patients whose operations were cancelled but who were not re-admitted within 28 days.

The Dudley Group of Hospitals was one of only four to receive the lowest grading for quality of services. Chief executive Paula Clark said: "A weak rating for quality of services is not acceptable and we have already improved in several of the areas in which we under-achieved."

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Pledge: Mark Goldman.