A failing hospital trust has become one of the best performing in Sussex, according to the annual Government star ratings published today.

The former Brighton Health Care NHS Trust has risen from no stars last year to two out of a possible three.

It is only beaten by the specialist Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, which achieved the maximum three stars but deals with significantly fewer patients and does not have accident and emergency or maternity units.

Other hospital trusts in Sussex either stayed on one star or went down to one from two stars.

The trust helped carry out the improvements by setting up out-patient clinics and rearranging clinic times to make them more accessible for patients.

It employed more staff and opened extra hospital beds to accommodate more patients.

A medical assessment unit was also set up at the Royal Sussex County Hospital emergency department so more patients could be seen quickly.

Star ratings were also published for ambulance services and Sussex was awarded two stars.

Hospital ratings were based on 35 performance indicators ranging from waiting lists, hospital cleanliness and delayed discharges to staff morale and sickness levels.

A one-star rating means there are areas of concern with their performance.

A two-star rating means the trust is performing well overall but has not reached consistently high standards.

The main area of concern for Brighton were cancelled operations and the number of cancer patients waiting more than two weeks for access to a consultant.

Ongoing problems with bed-blocking means too many patients are still waiting a long time in the emergency department at the Royal Sussex.

But the clinical care and quality of treatment given to adults and children is said to be significantly above average.

The trust was also able to keep the number of patients waiting for heart operations low.

Brighton Health Care was responsible for the Royal Sussex, Sussex Eye Hospital, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Sick Children and some services at Brighton General.

It merged with the former Mid Sussex NHS Trust to create the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust in April.

Today's ratings are based on the financial year April 2001 to March 2002.

Mid Sussex, which was responsible for the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, maintained its one-star rating.

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust chief executive Stuart Welling was at risk of losing his job when Brighton was given a zero rating last year.

He was given three months to turn the trust's performance around or a new chief executive would be brought in.

In February, Mr Welling convinced Department of Health bosses he had done enough.

He said today: "These two ratings provide a firm foundation from which the new University Hospitals Trust will build."

"I am delighted with the announcement as it is a reflection of the hard work of so many people.

Worthing and Southlands slipped from two stars to one as did Royal West Sussex, which is responsible for St Richard's in Chichester.

The former Eastbourne Hospitals also went down from two to one while the old Hastings and Rother stayed at one.

Both trusts merged to form East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust in April.

Surrey and Sussex Hospitals, which is responsible for Crawley Hospital, also stayed on one star.

Mental health trusts were star rated for the first time today with South Downs Health NHS Trust awarded two stars.