Regional performance update: Q3 2025/26 Oversight Framework

The latest NHS England Oversight Framework rankings for Q3 2025/26 show a mixed but broadly encouraging picture across the North East and North Cumbria, with several trusts demonstrating clear improvement and continued resilience in a challenging national context.

Acute Trusts: Strong improvements and steady progress

Acute sector performance continues to vary across the region, but there are notable success stories.

• South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust (STSFT) recorded one of the region’s most significant improvements, rising from 26th to 20th nationally. This movement reflects sustained operational focus and positive progress across key quality and performance domains.
• North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust (NTH) also improved slightly, climbing from 20th to 19th, maintaining its position within the higher‑performing trusts nationally.
• Northumbria Healthcare held its strong position, remaining stable at 8th, continuing to demonstrate consistently high performance.

While some trusts experienced downward movements compared with last quarter, all remain focused on targeted improvement programmes aligned to regional priorities.

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC) has also been identified as one of five trusts nationally to enter the Government’s new Intensive Recovery Programme. This placement recognises long-standing challenges but also recent signs of improvement.

The trust has begun delivering a major £4 million investment package to strengthen urgent and emergency care services. This includes an expanded Same Day Emergency Care capacity, additional acute medical staffing and strengthened frailty pathways to accelerate recovery and improve patient flow.

Several acute trusts continue to operate within a financial deficit, reflecting wider national pressures; however, collaborative support and shared improvement efforts remain in place across the system.

Mental Health and Community: Positive upward movement

The mental health and community sector saw encouraging upward trajectories.

• Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) delivered one of the region’s strongest recoveries this quarter, rising from 34th to 19th. This significant improvement demonstrates the impact of recent quality and governance initiatives.
• Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) remained steady, improving slightly from 45th to 43rd, and continues to perform well within its segment.

These results highlight the sustained regional commitment to enhancing mental health and community services, supported by shared learning and cross‑organisation programmes.

Ambulance sector: NEAS among national leaders

North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) continued its strong performance nationally, improving from 7th to 5th place. This reflects ongoing work to stabilise operational pressures and enhance response times through system‑wide coordination.

A collaborative approach to improvement

Across all sectors, the NENC Provider Collaborative remains focused on enabling improvement through collective action, shared learning and targeted support. The Q3 results demonstrate:

• Strong individual trust improvements
• Stability in several high‑performing organisations
• Clear areas where collaborative intervention will support recovery

Together, our region continues to make progress in the face of enduring operational and financial challenges.

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