PATIENTS are in safe hands at Steeton's Airedale Hospital according to a major survey published this week.

The hospital has come top of the pile of Northern and Yorkshire hospitals with the lowest mortality rate - and seventh best in the country.

Airedale NHS Trust also ensures all urgent breast cancer cases are seen by a specialist within two weeks.

The figures are even more remarkable considering Airedale has a very low staffing rate.

The news was revealed as part of a major survey of health care across the country in the Sunday Times Good Hospitals Guide.

It has been compiled by experts at the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine and backed by Sir Donald Irvine, president of the General Medical Council.

The survey shows that only six other hospital trusts have a lower death rate than Airedale, which has achieved its status with only 26 doctors per 100 beds.

The report also highlights how Airedale has met targets to reduce in-patient waiting times in the wake of unprecedented demand.

Airedale NHS Trust chief executive Robert Allen said the trust was delighted with the results of the Sunday Times survey.

"There are a number of factors contributing to this good performance," he said.

"From the time Airedale General Hospital was built, and until now, we have been able to recruit excellent clinical staff.

"These staff continue to apply for jobs in Airedale because of our excellent reputation and, of course, because this part of Yorkshire is such an excellent place to live and work."

Mr Allen added that the trust believed that delivering health care was a team effort involving all aspects of the service.

"We have always received good reports from our local population about their pride in their hospital and the Sunday Times report confirms their reason for doing so," he said.