WHEN it comes to hip replacement surgery, a Southampton treatment centre has been named one of the best in the country.

The Dr Foster Hospital Guide 2011 judged Care UK, which runs the Southampton NHS Treatment Centre based at the Royal South Hants Hospital, to be top of the league for hip operations.

Experts analysed the outcomes of thousands of patients across the UK, looking at length of stay and need for follow- up operations, and concluded that the four hospitals run by Care UK, including the one in Southampton, performed better than any other in the NHS. Care UK, which treats NHS patients on behalf of the NHS, also featured in the top ten of best performing hospitals for knee replacement operations, as did Spire Healthcare, which has a hospital in Southampton.

Experts writing the report also looked at mortality rates, which revealed that hospitals in Southampton and Hampshire are performing as expected.

However the Isle of Wight NHS PCT, which runs St Mary’s Hospital, was flagged up for having a higher than expected mortality rate.

The guide, published to improve transparency in healthcare, also revealed that the Princess Anne Hospital and the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester were in the top 15 of hospitals most recommended by patients.