SOUTH Tees Hospitals Trust has been named as one of the top 40 hospitals for the 13th year running.

The trust, which runs James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton and a range of community services, is one of only three trusts in the country to have won the major accolade every year since the introduction of the 40Top award in 2001.

Other North-East hospitals to make it into the top 40 included Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Emma Carter and Tony Roberts from the South Tees Trust's quality assurance team collected the award at a ceremony in London hosted by CHKS, the UK's leading independent provider of healthcare intelligence.

The award is given to the 40 top performing CHKS client trusts and is based on the evaluation of 22 key performance indicators covering safety, clinical effectiveness, health outcomes, efficiency, patient experience and quality of care.

Prof Tricia Hart, chief executive for South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "I could not be more proud of all the staff working for South Tees. This accolade is for all of them.

"Our hospitals and community services like other healthcare providers have had an extremely challenging winter period lasting for over six months.

"We have cared for increasing numbers, week after week, of very sick patients and this award recognises the immense skill and dedication our staff have despite the challenges we are facing every day."