Shepton Mallet NHS Treatment Centre has outperformed the national average, according to the latest results from the annual Patient-Led Assessment of the Care Environment (PLACE).

PLACE assessments are undertaken by teams of NHS and private/independent health care providers, which must be made up of at least 50 per cent members of the public (known as patient assessors).

They focus on the environment in which care is provided, as well as non-clinical aspects of services such as cleanliness, food, hydration, and privacy, dignity and well-being.

They also, crucially, identify how well the provider organisation supports patients living with dementia or with disabilities.

Shepton Mallet NHS Treatment Centre achieved above the national average in all the criteria of the PLACE audit.

For cleanliness it scored 100 per cent (national average 98.6 per cent); for ward food 100 per cent (92.6 per cent); for privacy, dignity and wellbeing 97.96 per cent (86.1 per cent); for condition, appearance and maintenance 100 per cent (96.4 per cent); for dementia 100 per cent (80.7 per cent), and; for disability 98.1 per cent (82.5 per cent).

This is the latest in a series of accolades for the hospital. It was the first hospital of its kind to achieve a rating of Outstanding from the Care Quality Commission across all elements of its inspection.

Another national patient audit, the Patient Reported Outcome Measures, identified the hospital as top in the country for hip replacements, and in the top five per cent for knee placements last year.

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Andrew Oakerbee, hospital director at Shepton Mallet NHS Treatment Centre, said: "My congratulations go to colleagues whose hard work and commitment to the very highest standards have resulted in this superb result.

"Provision of an outstanding patient experience sits at the heart of everything we do and we are delighted that this result is reflective of those efforts."

Available treatments at Shepton Mallet NHS Treatment Centre include: general surgery (such as hernia repair and gall bladder removal); ear, nose and throat; hip surgery; knee surgery; foot and ankle surgery; shoulder and elbow surgery; hand and wrist surgery; eye surgery (such as cataract replacement); gynaecology; urology; endoscopy; diagnostic imaging and; pain management.

Patients can choose to attend the hospital under the NHS, via a self-pay option or in some instances, with private medical insurance.