NINEWELLS HOSPITAL in Dundee and Perth Royal Infirmary have been named as two of Scotland’s top NHS hospitals for the treatment of people aged 50 and over, according to Saga Health Care.

However, no hospital in Scotland scored well across all the areas addressed by the survey. It has been compiled in advance of changes that will affect patients in England who will have choices about where they are treated. The changes will not apply in Scotland.

Saga, which offers services including healthcare insurance to people aged 50 plus, took into consideration quality of care in hospitals, infection control and waiting times, identified as important factors for people aged over 50.

Hospitals were given credits for how well they performed in these particular areas and out of a possible eight credits Ninewells and PRI each scored three. Only one of 25 Scottish hospitals involved in the survey, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, scored higher with four credits.

The study was compiled for Saga by Dr Foster, an organisation that gathers information on healthcare quality in the UK. Based in England, Dr Foster annually issues questionnaires to hospitals which they choose whether or not to answer.

Dr Foster trawls the information gathered and compiles surveys for other organisations based on health authorities’ responses.

The Saga press release stated, “The study comes at a crucial time for patients, who are now able to choose one of four hospitals where they would like to have their treatment, and later this year, the list will be extended to include the Government’s flagship Foundation hospitals.”

However, that is not the case in Scotland where responsibility for health is devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

Andrew Goodsell, chief executive of Saga, said, “This survey provides a snapshot of how the NHS is meeting the needs of today’s over 50s. It is encouraging to see the majority of hospitals performing well, and this is a tribute to the dedication of NHS staff.”