A NATIONAL hospitals guide has praised York District Hospital for having a low rate of the hospital superbug MRSA.

The annual guide, published by The Mail on Sunday, criticised the hospital last year for having what it described as higher than average mortality rates.

But the latest Good Hospitals Guide says rates are average - although there is no change in the figures.

Nevertheless, the hospital only scored three out of ten stars in the ranking system of the worst and best hospitals in the country. Seventeen hospitals received only one star.

The report states that the 835-bed hospital "has average death rates. It offers MRI scanning, CT scans for suspected stroke patients within 48 hours and meets the target of 500 cardiac catheterisations each year. A paediatrician is on site 24 hours a day."

Northallerton's Friarage Hospital comes out trumps in the guide and is one of only ten hospitals around the country to receive eight stars.

The stars are graded for each hospital on the basis of death rates, waiting times and compliance with best practice standards.

Only six hospitals ranked higher. Of those, two London hospitals received ten stars.

Harrogate District Hospital received five stars.

The report says the hospital has average death rates and better than average waiting times.

Scarborough General Hospital received six stars.

For YDH, the report says 95 per cent of patients are treated within four hours, 59 per cent of complaints are dealt with within a month, for every 1,000 patients there are 3.5 complaints, 81 per cent of outpatients are seen within three months and there are 97 nurses and 22 doctors per 100 beds.

The guide is available to view on www.drfoster.co.uk

Updated: 11:42 Monday, March 11, 2002