BECAUSE there was relief as well as some surprise that Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust managed to hang on to a two-star rating in the hospitals' league tables, published recently, we at Health Concern wish to congratulate all the front-line staff whose dedicated work made that possible.

However, management should study all the tables' additional parts, consider fully those causing considerable disquiet, and improve on them quickly.

I refer particularly to the "below average" ratings in patient, and capacity and capability focus areas. Respect and dignity was given only two out of five marks, and data quality and the staff opinion survey rated just one from five.

All these areas are fundamentally important to the hospitals users' experience and need working on for improvement.

Furthermore, and particularly because of Wyre Forest's recent experience, the ambulance trust management need to work on their staff relationships and working practices to improve on their staff opinion survey which also scored one from five.

Only two other trusts scored so badly in the list of 29 published in the NHS Performance Ratings.

Government ministers promised Wyre Forest better services after our hospital downgrading. Are we getting them?

DAVID PARRY

Health Concern

Northumberland Avenue, Kidderminster