Bedfordshire Hospitals awarded £2m for being in ‘top 20 most improved trusts’ for 4-hour target

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs both Bedford Hospital and the Luton and Dunstable Hospital, has been awarded an extra £2 million after it was named as one of the top 20 most improved hospital trusts in England for four-hour performance in March 2026.

The four-hour Urgent and Emergency Care target means that hospitals in the country have to make sure that patients are admitted, transferred, or discharged from the emergency department within four hours of when they arrive.

Data revealed that across both sites in March, Bedfordshire Hospitals managed to get 80.2 per cent of patients seen within the four-hour period.

This was an improvement of over eight per cent from 2025.

The figure was also above the national average of 77.1 per cent.

Cathy Jones, acting chief executive, praised those working at the two sites for their dedication.

She said: “Staff across the Trust have worked incredibly hard over the last 18 months to improve our 4-hour performance. We have made rapid changes to improve processes, and in turn improve the experience for those attending our hospitals.”

The funding will be used towards investing in new equipment and making improvements to the estates.

Cathy added: “It is fantastic to be acknowledged nationally, and I’m so proud that the efforts of staff have been recognised. This funding will continue to make a difference to both our staff and patients.”