HEREFORD County Hospital has been named in a list of the top 40 safest hospitals in the country.

Independent experts CHKS studied 20 different performance indicators in all hospitals before naming the best.

They checked such things as death rates, cancelled procedures and complications, infections, length of stay, day case rates and overstays and length of time for diagnoses.

The County Hospital appears to be the only one in the region to have made the top 40 list and stands alongside such hospitals as Guys and St Thomas's, Hammersmith, Papworth and Newcastle University.

Graham Harries, chief executive of CHKS said: "Hospitals using our benchmarking tools are working to achieve targets in a very challenging environment. Good news stories in the NHS are often overshadowed and we are proud to be able to highlight and reward some of the best practice and excellent work done in the NHS.

"These success stories should not only give patients faith in their health service but also reward staff for their dedication and efforts to improve their performance and provide the best possible service."