TWELVE NHS Trusts, including Hereford, are "significantly underperforming" basic safety measures despite being rated good by the official health regulator, a report said today.

They were published in the latest Hospital Guide from montoring body the Dr Foster organisation, which provides comparative information on health and social care services.

Of the 12 worst performing trusts in the new league table, nine were recently judged by the Care Quality Commission watchdog to be good or excellent.

In the patient safety score by the organisation, with trusts ranked from 100 to 0, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust topped the chart with 100 Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust came midway with 51.37 while Hereford was given 6.85.

Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was given a score of 0.

But the Care Quality Commission which issued its official ratings last month said it saw no need to intervene to make improvements.