Lib Dems demand action as latest league tables show Worcestershire Hospitals’ poor performance

Worcestershire Liberal Democrats are calling for urgent action after the county’s Acute Trust was ranked 110 out of 134 hospitals in the latest NHS performance league tables.

The Trust was given a performance rating of 4 — the lowest possible grade — under a system designed to raise standards and highlight where patient care is falling short.

The league tables rank NHS Trusts in England on measures including A&E performance, waiting times for planned treatment, finances, and mental health services. They are updated every three months.

The Liberal Democrats have long called for the government to publish and deliver an ambitious plan to improve NHS services. This must include tackling bed blocking caused by the lack of social care, improving access to GPs and dentists to prevent people’s conditions from worsening, and ensuring cancer treatment begins within 62 days of referral.

Liberal Democrat West Worcestershire Parliamentary Spokesperson Dan Boatright-Greene said:

“This latest league table only confirms what residents already know: we are struggling to access the healthcare we need, when we need it. Our local hospitals are under huge strain and unable to provide the standard of service that people rightly expect.

“NHS staff do an amazing job every single day. But without the resources and funding they need, they cannot work miracles. The government and the hospital trust must urgently put in place a credible improvement plan to deliver better outcomes for Worcestershire residents.

“The Liberal Democrats have a clear plan to rescue our NHS. We want to see the same level of ambition from the government. Everyone knows the earlier a condition is treated, the better the chance of recovery. Excuses from NHS Trust leaders are no longer good enough; this must change.”

Our Plan to Save the NHS – Liberal Democrats are calling for the government to:

• Deliver a rescue plan for GP services, including 8,000 more full-time equivalent GPs, ensuring appointments within seven days, or 24 hours for urgent needs.
• End “DIY dentistry” and dental deserts by guaranteeing NHS dentist access for urgent and emergency care, and reforming the broken NHS dental contract.
• Guarantee 100% of cancer patients start treatment within 62 days of urgent referral.
• Increase the Public Health Grant so local councils can prevent ill health and improve community health.
• Fix the crisis in ambulance services by ending excessive handover delays and increasing the number of staffed hospital beds.
• Improve early access to mental health care with walk-in hubs for young people in every community and regular mental health check-ups at key life stages.
• Prioritise reform of the Mental Health Act.
• Implement a ten-year plan to invest in hospitals and primary care estates, tackling crumbling infrastructure and dangerous RAAC concrete.
• Introduce free personal care, a higher Carer’s Minimum Wage, and a workforce plan for social care.

The Liberal Democrats believe everyone deserves high-quality healthcare — accessible when and where it is needed, and free at the point of use.