NHS league tables: Medical negligence lawyer sets out what newly published performance ratings for health trusts in England mean for patient safety
The newly published NHS league tables have revealed the best and worst-performing NHS Trusts across England, marking a significant step toward transparency and accountability in healthcare delivery.
What do the tables examine?
These rankings, part of the NHS Oversight Framework 2025/26, assess trusts across a range of metrics including urgent and emergency care, elective operations, and mental health services.
Trusts are segmented into four performance tiers, with Segment 1 representing the highest-performing organisations and Segment 4 highlighting those facing the greatest challenges.
Separate tables are provided for acute, non-acute, and ambulance trusts to ensure fair comparisons.
Top performers
The top performers in the acute setting are Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust, and the Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
The benefits of segmentation
Segmentation is helpful as it can show the range of different challenges a trust faces, but it doesn't show the severity of the problem, which might only affect one or two areas.
The confidence levels in the data are interesting as they can help identify if a trust that looks strong might still need help in a specific area - for example a trust might rank well but still have an issue with waiting times for surgery.
What does this mean for patients?
For patients, although not that straightforward to analyse the data, the tables offer a clearer picture of how their local NHS services compare nationally.
Where choice is possible to patients, this might empower individuals to make more informed decisions about where to seek care. It may also help to identify where urgent support is needed, ensuring that underperforming trusts receive targeted interventions to improve outcomes.
Looking ahead
While some trusts have been flagged for concerns, it’s important to note that these tables will be updated quarterly. Over time, they will provide a more accurate and dynamic view of NHS performance. This evolving data will not only guide patient choices but also support NHS leaders in identifying best practices and implementing improvements where needed.
Through my work supporting patients and families affected by medical negligence, I sadly see the devastating and often life-changing consequences they can be left to face because of care failings. As well as needing access to specialist support and rehabilitation, my clients are often left wanting answers about their care.
Hopefully, this initiative may help to reduce variation in care and ensure that every patient, regardless of postcode, receives high-quality treatment.
Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in supporting patients and families affected by care failings at our dedicated medical negligence section.
More information on the league tables can be found on the NHS England website.
