West Sussex hospitals today insisted their standards were not falling despite dropping in the Government's annual star ratings.

Worthing and Southlands Hospitals and St Richards, Chichester, both slipped from two to one star out of a possible three.

The trusts were tested on 35 performance indicators ranging from waiting times to staff morale.

A one-star rating means there are areas of concern with a trust's performance.

Worthing and Southlands met eight of nine key targets but significantly under-achieved on the number of suspected cancer patients waiting more than two weeks to see a consultant.

They were also ranked below average on the number of patients readmitted after treatment.

But the hospitals' governing trust performed well in dealing with clinical negligence and sickness rates.

Chief executive Roger Greene said: "It is unfortunate that the loss of a star in our ratings disguises a whole host of improvements in patient care that hospital staff have worked hard to secure over the course of the last 12 months.

"The issues are about data collection and recording, and the public can have every confidence that they do not represent any reduction in the quality of service they receive in the trust's hospitals."

Royal West Sussex NHS Trust is responsible for St Richard's in Chichester.

It met seven of its key targets but significantly failed in its financial management. The number of cancelled operations was judged too high.

The trust achieved a maximum rating for keeping the number of patients readmitted to hospital down.

Chief executive Robert Lapraik said: "Many local people will know, through experience, that the hospital has been consistently running at more than 98 per cent occupancy.

"We are very pleased that patients' experience of care given with respect and dignity was above average and significantly above average.

"The reality is that between March last year and this year we've treated more people than were planned and this resulted in the trust overspending by £1.7 million."

The former Brighton Health Care NHS Trust was one of the best performing in Sussex, rising from a zero star rating to two.

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 an accident and emergency or maternity unit.

Mid Sussex, which is responsible for Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, kept its one-star status.

Star ratings were also published for ambulance services. Sussex scored two stars.

David Griffiths, chief executive of Sussex Ambulance Service, said: "It is a reflection on the hard work and efforts of the staff."

The former Eastbourne Hospitals trust dropped from two stars 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, responsible for Crawley Hospital, also stayed on one star.

A spokesman for the Patient Action Group in Sussex said: "The results of the star ratings show that, as with the rest of the South, hospitals here have ongoing problems getting patients out of hospital and into homes.

"This leads to long waits in A&E and cancelled operations. "