PATIENTS will not be surprised that York Hospital is among the best in the country.

Readers regularly write in to praise the professionalism, expertise and warmth of the staff there.

Being named on the list of Britain's leading 40 hospitals is even more impressive considering the circumstances.

York Hospital is undergoing major redevelopment and had to cope with an arson attack last year.

Yet it still hit a huge raft of performance targets while being showered with praise in patient surveys.

York Hospital is a vast, complex organisation run with great skill and commitment by an army of staff.

Our congratulations to them all.

Updated: 11:31 Thursday, May 19, 2005