North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC) has made significant positive progress in the latest National Oversight Framework (NOF) ratings, rising 10 places in the national NHS league tables. NCIC is the most improved Trust in the North East and Yorkshire region. This improvement reflects the Trust’s strengthened performance across planned care, diagnostics and Referral to Treatment (RTT) pathways, and marks a major step forward for the Trust.
Secretary of State for Health James Murray has congratulated Trust staff for their tireless work to deliver excellent care.
The uplift follows a sustained period of improvement, during which NCIC has been removed from ‘tier 1’ oversight for RTT performance and recognised as the best performing trust in the region for RTT in quarter four. This progress demonstrates the impact of focused operational changes and the dedication of staff across all services.
Diagnostic activity also continues to improve month on month, helping more patients to get their diagnosis and be referred to the right treatment plan sooner. This has a hugely positive impact on patient outcomes and is particularly important in North Cumbria where we experience high levels of health inequality.
While progress is clear, the Trust acknowledges that challenges remain, particularly in unplanned care. A&E and Urgent Treatment Centres continue to experience around 11,000 attendances per month with long waits in the department. However, the Trust’s £4m investment in urgent and emergency care, alongside the opening of the new UTC at Carlisle, is expected to support further improvement.
Trudie Davies, Chief Executive of North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“The plans we have developed together are taking us in the right direction. It is good to see that the hard work of our staff is beginning to pay off in terms of performance. They should be very proud of what they are achieving. This is not just about numbers, it is about the quality of care we provide for our patients, and that is what matters to us most.
“Our waiting times for elective care are much improved, but we know we still have much more to do. Our patients still wait too long in our emergency departments, but we are confident that our £4m investment in staffing and facilities will create the right environment for us to provide the best possible care.”
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has committed to regularly publishing league tables for NHS trusts as part of a new phase of transparency and accountability. Trusts are grouped into four performance segments, with segment one representing the strongest performers.
Health and Social Care Secretary, James Murray, said:
“Patients deserve honesty about how their NHS is performing. By being transparent about outcomes, we're empowering patients, driving improvement and ensuring every part of the NHS is focused on delivering the best possible care.
“These results show where the NHS is getting it right and where we must go further. They also recognise the dedication of NHS staff, including those in north Cumbria, who have worked tirelessly to deliver excellent care for patients.
“After years of underinvestment and falling performance, we're turning the NHS around — cutting waiting lists, improving services and rebuilding a health service people can once again be proud of.”