Princess Anne Hospital ranked among best in the world

A MATERNITY hospital where many New Forest mums have given birth has been ranked among the best in the world.

A total of 1,000 hospitals from the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Switzerland, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Australia and Israel featured in the groundbreaking project by US news magazine and website, Newsweek.

Countries were selected on standard of living and life expectancy, population size, number of hospitals and data availability, while hospitals were selected on recommendations from medical experts, results from patient surveys and medical key performance indicators.

The newly unveiled list shows that the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton was chosen as one of the best 129 specialist care centres globally.

The maternity hospital provides a comprehensive service for around 6,000 women every year, with regional and national expertise in fetal and maternal medicine.

It is also home to leading fertility, gynaecology, breast imaging and genetics services and is the regional centre for neonatal intensive care.

The nearby general hospital was ranked 24th out of 80 in a list of the best in the UK, with a score of 83.5 out of 100.

It is the third largest hospital in the UK, with 1,300 beds, and is a specialist centre for services ranging from oncology, major trauma and intensive care to neurosciences, cardiology and orthopaedics, as well as children’s services delivered via Southampton Children’s Hospital.

Clinicians across University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, which runs both sites, have been at the forefront of a number of major medical and scientific breakthroughs and pioneering projects in recent years.

These include introducing an IVF treatment which allows fertilisation to take place inside the body as opposed to the laboratory, developing a 5p sized device to monitor the womb and hosting the first two series of Channel 4’s groundbreaking One Born Every Minute documentary.

Staff have also had widespread national influence and prominence, heading up medical bodies and charities including Cancer Research UK, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, the British Cardiovascular Society and the Alcohol Health Alliance UK.

The trust’s medical director, Dr Derek Sandeman, said: “We really are delighted to be recognised among the best hospitals in the world and UK and it is testament to the quality and dedication of staff throughout the organisation, who are constantly pushing the boundaries and striving for excellence.

“Our hospitals are ranked alongside some of the most esteemed institutions in global healthcare, with our maternity and women’s services among the best in the world, so this is an amazing feat and something we can be extremely proud of.”