The Gateshead Northumbria inpatient survey results are in, and both trusts have landed in the national top tier, the only non-specialist hospital trusts among 12 highest-rated in England. The Care Quality Commission‘s annual inpatient survey, which quizzes patients who spent at least one night in hospital, placed Gateshead Health NHS Trust and Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust among the standout performers across the country.
For Northumbria Healthcare, the recognition is nothing new. According to the Northumberland Gazette, the trust has now been recognised as a top performer for a fourth year in a row, a run that covers hospitals serving Northumberland and North Tyneside. Of the 12 survey sections, Northumbria’s responses were better than most trusts in 10 of them, with the remaining two rated as about the same. All 464 responses placed the trust at the top or near the top across the board.
What the Gateshead Northumbria inpatient survey scores actually show
In Gateshead, 435 patients responded, and the numbers are the highest the trust has recorded. Patients gave 9.5 out of 10 for both kindness and compassion and for respect and dignity. Three areas were rated much better than expected compared with other NHS trusts: the quality of the hospital and ward environment, the quality of care and treatment, and the experience of leaving hospital.
Dr Sean Fenwick, chief executive at Gateshead Health NHS Trust, said: ‘These results are a real reflection of the care our staff provide to patients every day. To see 100% reporting that they were treated with kindness and compassion and with respect and dignity is particularly encouraging.’ He added that the trust would continue to scrutinise patient feedback, including areas where experience could still improve.
Dr Birju Bartoli, chief executive at Northumbria Healthcare, said: ‘Providing a good experience for our inpatients is a real team effort, with clinical and non-clinical teams working together to deliver high-quality patient care. The principles that drive strong patient care and experience are the same regardless of the location, putting the patient first, ensuring we meet their needs, and making sure we respond to and learn from any feedback.’
The rest of the North East, and what the national picture tells us
The other three North East trusts all rated at around the national average across every area assessed, which is no small thing in a pressured system. Newcastle Hospitals pulled in 480 responses, with the teams at the Freeman and Royal Victoria Infirmary rated better than expected for admission to hospital (7.8 out of 10), leaving hospital (7.4) and care from doctors (9.2). County Durham and Darlington saw 472 responses and an overall experience score of 7.9, with respect and dignity rated at 9.1. South Tyneside and Sunderland, with 407 responses, rated around the average across all 12 areas; trust executive Karen Sheard highlighted improvements in respect and dignity, which has risen to 9.1.
Matt Brown, managing director of the North East and North Cumbria provider collaborative, said: ‘These results show the skill, care and hard work of NHS staff. Every day, our teams work hard to give safe care to patients and their families. Working together helps us learn from each other and make services better across our region.’
The national picture carries its own weight. The CQC’s data shows that of the 39 evaluative questions also asked in 2024, 16 show statistically significant improvement, 21 remain unchanged and 2 show a statistically significant decline. The CQC also found that 79% of respondents said they ‘always’ had confidence and trust in the nurses treating them, a statistically significant increase from 78% in 2024. The regulator said long-term analysis suggests the experience of inpatient care is improving and that most patients reported positive interactions with staff and feeling involved in their own care.
Not everything has moved in the right direction nationally. One in five patients who thought it necessary said hospital staff did not involve their family or carers in decisions about discharge at all, while a quarter reported families were not given enough information to care for someone at home.
Northumbria Healthcare’s fourth consecutive year at the top of this survey is the benchmark to watch: the CQC publishes updated results annually, making next year’s figures the next concrete test of whether the North East can hold this ground.