Hospital star rating system to be scrapped

The star ratings system for hospitals is to be scrapped.

Health chiefs were today expected to announce plans for new performance gradings.

The current system, under which hospitals, primary care services, and ambulance trusts are awarded between zero and three stars, is widely hated by doctors and NHS staff, who believe it unfair.

The Healthcare Commission is expected to announce that 2005 will be the last year the system is used.

Instead the health service watchdog said it would be introducing a new "health check" for the NHS. Star ratings could be replaced by labels similar to those used by the schools inspectorate Ofsted, ranging from "excellent" to "serious concerns".

The Healthcare Commission carries out inspections and provides ratings for 173 hospital trusts, 31 ambulance trusts, 303 primary care trusts and 83 mental health trusts. Star ratings are awarded according to a list of criteria, such as waiting times for operations, cleanliness, and mortality rates after surgery.

Hospitals which want to apply for foundation status under the Government's controversial flagship scheme can only do so once they have achieved the top three-star rating.

Star ratings were introduced four years ago by former health secretary Alan Milburn. The decision to axe them has triggered derision from opposition politicians, who claim the system is fundamentally flawed.

Today the Healthcare Commission said it wanted to make the health check broader. They will use spot checks, unannounced visits and patient forums to check the data they receive is correct.