For the first time in years, the Government has published league tables ranking every NHS trust in England – shining a light on how hospitals, mental health services, community care and ambulance services are performing.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the move as part of a “new era of accountability” for the NHS, with the rankings based on 30 key measures including patient safety, waiting times, staff morale, and quality of care.
So how did Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire fare – and what does it mean for Ilkeston patients?
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🏥 Acute Hospital Trusts
• Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (covering Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital) ranked 100th out of all acute trusts, placing it in segment 3 – a below-average performance.
• University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (which includes Royal Derby Hospital and Queen’s Hospital Burton) ranked 108th, placing it in segment 4 – the lowest performance tier.
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🏡 Community Care
• Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, which runs services at Ilkeston Community Hospital, performed much better – ranking 17th among community trusts, and landing in segment 2.
This is a strong mid-upper performance, suggesting that local community services, including those here in Ilkeston, are delivering good results for patients.
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🧠 Mental Health Services
• Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust ranked 46th in the mental health category, in segment 4 (lowest tier).
• Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust ranked 56th, also in segment 4.
Both local mental health providers have been rated among the poorest performing nationally, highlighting the ongoing pressures facing these services.
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🚑 Ambulance Services – A Bright Spot
The best news for our area is that the East Midlands Ambulance Service, which covers Ilkeston, ranked 2nd best in England.
Only the North West Ambulance Service came higher. This means local emergency response is rated as among the very best in the country.
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What Happens With These Results?
These rankings aren’t just for show – they decide how trusts are treated by NHS England and the Government:
• Segment 1–2 (strong performers):
• Given more freedom to run their services.
• Can be prioritised for extra funding.
• Held up as examples of “best practice.”
• Segment 3–4 (weak performers):
• Face closer monitoring and oversight.
• NHS England can send in support teams.
• Leadership changes may be enforced.
• Funding is more tightly controlled until improvements are made.
For patients, it also means a new level of transparency – people can see how their local services compare nationally, and hold them to account.
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What This Means for Ilkeston
• Hospital care: Struggles continue at both Derby and Nottingham hospitals, with performance slipping into the lower tiers.
• Community services: Ilkeston’s own hospital and community care performed strongly, showing real positives at the local level.
• Mental health: A clear area of concern, with both Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire trusts in the lowest national tier.
• Ambulances: A major success story – local crews are rated among the very best in England.
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👉 What do you think of the new NHS rankings? Have you had good or bad experiences with local care? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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