North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust among top performers nationally for hitting NHS four-hour benchmark

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust achieved 86% in NHS England’s benchmark of dealing with urgent and emergency care within four hours of their arrival.

The latest figures for February mean the trust, which runs the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton, and University Hospital of Hartlepool, was the second top performing trust in the country and first in the region.

Kevin Moore, clinical director for urgent and emergency care at the trust, said: “Our consistent performance against the four hour standard is a result of the work of so many departments and services across the organisation.

“From the team here in urgent and emergency care, to the teams in the hospital wards, to the staff in our community teams and the support staff who ensure things run as smoothly as possible.”

Since 2017, the trust has run a joined urgent and emergency care service meaning any patient who attends hospital is directed by a nurse practitioner to the most appropriate department for their needs.

Staff at North Tees hospital make use of an online data platform to track details including for beds, the number of patients in hospital, available beds and care home details.

The trust’s Hospital at Home service for respiratory and frail and elderly patients helps to treat patients in their own home.

Dr Moore added: “As I have said, this really is the result of the work of everyone in the organisation, as well as the wider health system in the region working so successfully together."