NHS patients across Northumberland and North Tyneside are happier than the rest of the country.

According to an independent research released today, the public scored Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 85 per cent public satisifcation for its services, outstripping the national score of 53 per cent.

Beyond the headline figure, which placed the trust in a comparable position to John Lewis or Amazon, the trust also enjoyed an increase in the number of people who felt that service provision had improved in the past five years. Personal experience, staff and short waiting times were among the most commonly cited reasons.

In particular, the Northumbria hospital in Cramlington was felt to perform well in delivering short waits for patients, in part due to new ways of working developed by frontline staff which enables patients to be seen by senior clinicians earlier in their care ‘journey’.

Northumbria Healthcare chief executive officer, Sir James Mackey, said: “There is no doubt that these are tough results for the NHS nationally and that isn’t something anyone should or will be taking lightly.

"However, I am delighted that, thanks to advanced planning, a willingness to adapt to new technologies/ways of working and the ongoing efforts of our staff, Northumbria Healthcare continues to enjoy the support of the public it serves.

“I am especially pleased that, in spite of a hard winter and busy summer, our score has actually increased this year, rising to a near record high.”