A dramatic rise in national NHS rankings has placed a group of hospitals among the country’s top performers.
Barts Health Trust climbed from 74th to 21st place in the National Oversight Framework (NOF) league table, putting it in the top quarter of trusts.
The improvement, recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025-26, was driven by gains in financial performance and patient care, including shorter waiting times.
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Shane DeGaris, group chief executive at Barts Health Trust, said: "Congratulations to all those in our hospitals and support services who have worked so tirelessly to drive these improvements.
"We know our hospitals are busier than ever before, treating record numbers of patients every day, and it is heartening to know that your hard work and dedication to high quality care is recognised by the NHS leadership and our counterparts across the country.
"We can’t afford to be complacent, because these relative rankings will no doubt change again in the next quarter, but we should celebrate this fantastic achievement and use it as a springboard for further improvement in the future."
The NOF, introduced in 2025, provides a consistent system for assessing NHS trusts, helping identify which organisations may benefit from greater autonomy or require additional support.
Barts had been placed in the third quartile due to financial challenges and a backlog in elective care. However, improvements through a focused recovery plan led to a balanced budget and a sharp reduction in waiting times.
The trust was named the second most improved in the country for the three months to the end of March.
The Health Service Journal described Barts Health as "the star performer of the fourth quarter," highlighting improvements in both "finances and waiting time performance."
Over the reporting period, the overall waiting list fell by more than 10,500, with no patients waiting 65 weeks for routine treatment and an 80 per cent reduction in 52-week waits. A&E performance also improved, rising from 71 per cent to 76 per cent, meaning more than 2,000 additional patients were seen within four hours.
Under an NHS England incentive scheme, the trust earned £2 million in capital funding for further infrastructure improvements.
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