Finances of NHS trusts 'improving'

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Twenty NHS trusts across England are falling below the minimum standards required by the Government. Of these, 12 have failed to meet them for three years running.

The Audit Commission review of performance in 2007/08 looked at 302 trusts, including mental health trusts, ambulance trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs).

Trusts were scored from 1 to 4, with 1 representing "inadequate performance" below minimum requirements.

A score of 2 represented "adequate performance" at minimum requirements, 3 highlighted trusts "performing well" consistently above requirements and 4 related to those "performing strongly" well above minimum requirements.

The Auditors' Local Evaluation (ALE) report found that half of the 302 trusts performed well or strongly when it came to use of their resources.

A total of 93% of trusts met or exceeded minimum standards for their overall use of resources. However, only 14 trusts (4.6%) performed "strongly" in this area while 10 trusts (3.3%) failed to balance their books.

The North West Strategic Health Authority area achieved the highest average score in England on use of resources.

Trusts in the Yorkshire and Humber Strategic Health Authority area scored the lowest on average.

London had the most mixed performance, containing both the highest proportion of NHS trusts performing strongly and performing poorly.