County Hospital in Stafford and Royal Stoke University Hospital, have scored above the national average for cleanliness and maintenance in a recent assessment.

For the third year in a row, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust's (UHNM) two hospitals both scored above the national average in NHS England's 2025 Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE).

The County Hospital scored 99.27 per cent for maintenance and appearance with the national average being 97.00 per cent. 

The Royal Stoke University Hospital also shone, receiving 99.84 per cent for cleanliness, the average being 98.55 per cent. 

Lorraine Whitehead, director of estates, facilities and PFI at UHNM, said: "Achieving above national average scores across our services for the third year running is an outstanding achievement. 

"Our Estates, Facilities and PFI colleagues, including our cleaners, porters, maintenance teams, gardeners, catering teams and many others play an absolutely vital role in the running of our hospitals.

"Their work is often behind the scenes, but its impact is felt by every single patient and colleague who walks through our doors."

PLACE inspections involve local patient representatives visiting hospitals to assess standards of cleanliness, building maintenance, disability access and ward food.

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The inspectors described the facilities at County Hospital as being "clean, well maintained, and organised areas provide a peaceful environment for the delivery of excellent patient care." 

This was mirrored by Royal Stoke, as although it was found to be "very busy", it is "clean and tidy overall" with "a calm and comfortable environment for patients".  

Ruth Freeman, business director for Sodexo Health & Care at Royal Stoke said: "It's fantastic to see our efforts recognised in this year's scores. 

"Maintaining a clean and safe environment for our patients is our top priority, and I'm proud of the whole team for their dedication and hard work in achieving this result." 

Steve Brown, senior estates manager at County Hospital, said: "These scores are a real testament to the dedication and professionalism of our estates and facilities teams. 

"Maintaining a well-presented, safe and welcoming environment is essential for patient care, and I'm proud of everyone's hard work in achieving results above the national average."