The trust that runs Lister Hospital has been given its cleanest bill of health since taking over the service, while promising more lives will be saved after the introduction of cutting edge technology.

The East and North Herts NHS Trust, which has managed the Lister, Hertford, Mount Vernon Cancer Centre and QEII hospitals for over a decade has revealed its yearly performance results - showing it has surpassed almost every national standard.

The targets, set by the Department of Health and Care Quality Commission cover all areas of the trust’s service, including healthcare, operations and finances in 2010 to 2011.

Trust chief executive Nick Carver said the results showed services had improved dramatically since 2000, when it was classed as failing.

“Much has changed in the intervening decade, which is a testament to the hard work of our staff. Patients coming to our hospitals today now have a shorter wait for their treatment, are unlikely to have their procedure cancelled at the last minute and will be discharged as planned.

“The chances of their becoming infected with something like MRSA or C.difficile have plummeted, and the quality and range of clinical services provided through our hospitals has improved considerably.”

He added the trust’s aim was now to join the best in the NHS through a programme of empowering staff to make changes and listening to patients’ concerns, as well as a �150m redevelopment programme to centralise many services at the Lister site.

Part of this programme began operating this month, when a 24-hour stroke service replaced the previously limited service at Lister.

Using ‘telemedicine’ technology alongside clot-busting drugs, emergency staff will be able to treat patients with advice from specialists at Lister and across the East of England who will be able to speak to and examine suspected stoke victims remotely.

Mr Carver said: “The changes being made to our emergency and acute stroke services are a very good example of the improved services we will make by bringing all such services together on the Lister site over the next three years. It means we can save more lives, whilst at the same time support greater numbers of people in making good recoveries.”