West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has been shortlisted for ‘Trust of the Year’ by the prestigious Health Service Journal awards.
The Trust, which serves a population of over 600,000 people, including Watford, Hemel Hempstead and St Albans, is also a finalist in the Performance Recovery category, which recognises significant improvements in waiting times for treatment.
The HSJ Awards are widely regarded as the most prestigious for healthcare excellence in the UK. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in London, on November 20.
West Herts were shortlisted for the awards after impressing judges with the progress staff across its hospitals sites have made – despite record demand for services.
This includes:
- One of highest-performing Trusts in the country and are now consistently in the Top 10 based on a combination of all the key performance measures.
- Over the last two years we have improved significantly, rising from 102nd place in national A&E performance to consistently rank among the top 10 acute Trusts.
- Virtually eliminated the use of surge beds and corridor care, improved ambulance handovers, and significantly reduced delayed discharges.
- Waiting lists have fallen by 24% over the course of 2024/25.
- Second most improved Trust for 18-week referral to treatment in the NHS in 2024/25. Met all national cancer standards for the last 11 months.
Commenting on the award nominations, West Herts chief executive Matthew Coats, said: “We’re all driven by the same purpose of delivering outstanding care for our patients. That’s what motivates us every single day.
“Making the shortlist for these awards underlines the significant progress we’ve made together in delivering on that purpose. It’s a well-deserved recognition for our wonderful staff who work so hard, and with such passion, skill and dedication.
“However, we know there’s room for improvement and we must continue to be relentless in our approach to deliver for our patients and communities.”