The outstanding progress staff made towards meeting waiting times in A&E has won Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust an award for Most Improved Trust in the North of England.

A&E at the Trust has been a consistent top performer in Cheshire and Merseyside since the summer.

The award was made at a collaborative event in Leeds for NHS trusts earlier this month by NHS Improvement (NHSI), the national quality and financial regulator.

Ailsa Brotherton, from NHSI, said: “The team at Southport and Ormskirk has delivered focused improvements and have won the award for the Most Improved Trust in terms of their A&E performance during the collaborative.

“This is impressive work against a backdrop of increasing challenges and increasing demand. Huge congratulations to the whole team.”

Dr Dave Snow, Associate Medical Director for Urgent Care at the Trust, said: “A&E is the most visible sign of a busy hospital. We’ve shown how staff working together across the hospital from the front door, to discharge and out into the community can create great results for patients.”