Coventry and Warwickshire NHS trust ranked third-worst in England

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust (UHCW) – which works in partnership with Warwick’s Medical School – has been ranked as the third-worst acute NHS trust in England.

UHCW ranked above only the Countess of Chester Hospital Foundation Trust (at rank 133) and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn Foundation Trust (at rank 134) in a recent trust league table, published in September.

UHCW received a total score of 3.01, placing it in segment four.

Each trust is sorted into one of four segments – segment one being the highest ranked, and four being the lowest. The lower the total score, the higher ranked the trust – the highest ranked trust, Moorfields Eye Hospital, received a score of 1.39.

[The league table will help to] hold to account the performance of NHS leaders across the country

Wes Streeting, Health Secretary

Scores for England’s NHS trusts are based on several areas, including patient waiting times and ambulance response times.

Low-scoring trusts often take steps to secure improvements or, if demonstrating persistent low scores, receive prompt intervention.

The league tables are used to monitor the performance of hospitals, mental health services, and ambulance services in England.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated that the league table would help to “hold to account the performance of NHS leaders across the country”.

In November 2024, Streeting announced that NHS trusts would be assessed against a set of performance criteria. The NHS Oversight Framework 2025/26, published in June this year, then oversaw this monitoring of performance.

Professor Andy Hardy, UHCW CEO, said that he is ‘disappointed’ with the current ranking, adding that the trust will look to make ‘positive changes’ for patients moving forward

The NHS Oversight Framework will be received in 2026/27 for necessary changes, in line with the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.

Professor Andy Hardy, UHCW CEO, said that he is “disappointed” with the current ranking, adding that the trust will look to make “positive changes” for patients moving forward.

Professor Hardy noted, however, that the recent Care Quality Commission inspection “rated both our hospitals, University Hospital Coventry and the Hospital of St Cross in Rugby, as ‘Good’ for patient care and safety”.

UHCW is evidently seeing steady improvement in some areas, and the trust is continuing to work towards further improvement to local healthcare in anticipation for the next league table.