BASILDON Hospital's new chairman praised staff for turning the trust into one of the best performing in the country.

The hospital, in Nethermayne, retained its “good” rating after a Care Quality Commission inspection six months ago. Only 28 per cent of 113 hospitals in the country are rated “good” or “outstanding.”

Nigel Beverley took over from Ian Luder, who quit to stand as a local Ukip candidate in May’s general election.

Speaking at this year's annual members’ meeting, Mr Beverley said: “I am pleased to say the hospital has maintained its very high standards when it comes to the quality of care we deliver to patients. This has been an absolute priority.

“I would like to pay a big tribute to the staff who have been at the centre of achieving that continued high performance – it’s a real credit to them.

“This trust is now really in quite an elite group and I would like us all to reflect on that.

“The people of Basildon and Thurrock can now be really proud of their local hospital.

Our task is to keep going and continue with that progress."

The hospital was put into special measures by the health regulator Monitor in July 2013, because of concerns about its high death rates and standards of care after the Governmentled Keogh review.

Sanctions on its licence were lifted 11 months later, after its first good report.

The work of the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre, which opened in 2007 on the hospital site, was also high on the agenda at the annual meeting.

Guest speaker, Inderpaul Birdi, consultant cardiac surgeon, gave a presentation on the leading international and national role the centre, is playing in developing surgical techniques to treat patients with heart and lung conditions.

Mr Birdi and fellow heart specialist Paul Kelly, both based at the centre, carried out two keyhole surgery operations at the same time in May.

The pioneering dual surgery was carried out on Cherie Bason, 65, from Thorpe Bay, who has two types of heart disease.

The centre’s £1.3million, state-of-the-art hybrid operating theatre combines sophisticated imaging technology with the best equipment required for surgery, so that both cardiology and surgical procedures can be carried out at the same time.