THE company behind a Hereford hospital has been named as private hospital group of the year.

Nuffield Health were recognised for outstanding contribution to healthcare over the past 12 months through innovation and excellence in their products and services.

The not-for-profit company's hospital on Venns Lane has been rated as 'good' by the Care Quality Commission. 94 per cent of Nuffield Health hospitals have been rated as either 'good' or 'outstanding' by independent regulators.

Accepting the award at the Health Investor Awards, Chief Executive Officer, Steve Gray, said: "It's great to be recognised three years in a row as leaders in healthcare excellence.

"This reflects our teams' consistent hard work, relentless focus on patient safety, quality and outcomes and their commitment to be the best for our patients."

Nuffield Health was selected from a finalist group of five private hospital groups within the UK.

They say they have maintained their focus on continuous quality improvement and embedding a culture of transparency and learning across the charity.