HOSPITAL services in Bury are "performing well overall" according to the latest NHS ratings published this week.

The Rochdale Road-based hospital was awarded a two-star performance rating in the 2001/2002 Government "good hospital" guide, after being assessed in 37 categories.

The top rating which can be achieved is three stars.

Although the hospital failed to improve on the two star rating given in the first round of performance tables published in September last year, health bosses said they were happy with the grade.

Mr Chris Appleby, the chief executive of The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust which is now responsible for Fairfield Hospital, said: "We are pleased with the two stars received by Bury."

According to figures the former Bury Health Care NHS Trust, in line with the majority of health trusts, "achieved delivery of the target" in the following nine key areas.

no patients waiting more than 18 months for inpatient treatment

fewer patients waiting more than then 15 months for inpatient treatment

no patients waiting more than 26 weeks for out-patient treatment

fewer patients waiting on trolleys for more than 12 hours

less than one per cent of operations cancelled on the day

no patients with suspected cancer waiting more than two weeks to be seen in hospital

improvement to working lives of staff

hospital cleanliness

a satisfactory financial position

Mr Appleby said: "We now need to concentrate on those areas which require improvement and are certain that the new trust will be able to build on the strong foundation it has inherited from the previous trusts."

North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust received a two star rating, under-achieving in the areas of 12-hour trolley waits, cancelled operations and two-week cancer waits. The trust achieved the targets set for the other indicators.

Mr Neil Goodwin, chief executive of Greater Manchester Health Authority said: "I am pleased there are no failing trusts in the conurbation, and that so many of our hospitals received two stars.

"The criteria for the star ratings were much tougher than last year, so two or three stars is a great tribute to the hard of NHS staff in Greater Manchester."

Bury Primary Care Trust (PCT), the body responsible for the borough's health centres and doctor's surgeries, rated "average or above" in most of the 21 key performance indicators.

However, thePCT fell below average in:

26-week out-patient wait

access to GPs

primary care management of chronic conditions

prescribing of ulcer healing drugs

Bury Primary Care Trust was "significantly below average" for 18-month in-patient waits.

Mrs Hilda Harvey, chairman for Bury PCT which replaced Bury North and South Primary Care Group earlier this year, said: "Bury Primary Care Trust is a learning organisation, and welcomes constructive approaches to performance. I am extremely pleased that Primary Care Trust's predecessor organisations fared well in many areas, such as death from circulatory diseases (coronary heart disease is a major cause of premature death in Bury).