THE BODY responsible for managing Redbridge's only hospital has been named the worst performing NHS trust in the UK by a Government watchdog.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRT) was rated bottom out of the nearly 400 trusts across the country for its overall quality and financial management by the Care Quality Commission.

It was the only authority to receive a 'weak' rating in both categories.

The news comes at a bad time for the troubled organisation which was labelled 'underperforming' by NHS inspectors last month, and recorded one of the lowest patient satisfaction scores in the UK in a Healthcare Commission survey in January.

Dharam Sahdev, former head of Redbridge Patients Forum, said the report indicates deep-seated problems at the trust.

He said: "This report doesn't surprise me at all because there have been problems with the management of King George Hospital for a long time now.

"There needs to be a change of attitude at Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust from top to bottom if we are to see any real improvement."

Malcolm Dowers, of Leicester Road, Wanstead, said the hospital was in a chaotic state even two years ago when his youngest child was born there.

He said: "It was like something out of a Monty Python sketch.

"It was in a chaotic state, but I think that's indicative of a wider management problem within the NHS.

"The NHS is important, and we need things like good accident and emergency departments, but much of it is in a bad state.

"Let's just say I'm glad to have private health insurance."

BHRT has yet to comment on the issue.