The NHS trust that runs Luton and Dunstable University Hospital has been awarded £2million in bonus funding after being recognised as one of England’s most improved hospital trusts for A&E performance.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust secured the capital funding after recording one of the biggest improvements nationally against the NHS four-hour urgent and emergency care target.
The target measures the proportion of patients who are admitted, transferred or discharged from an emergency department within four hours of arriving.
In March 2026, the trust achieved a four-hour performance rate of 80.2 per cent, an improvement of more than eight percentage points compared with the previous year. That was also above the national average of 77.1 per cent.
The recognition places Bedfordshire Hospitals among the 20 most improved NHS trusts in England for A&E performance.
The £2million award is capital funding, meaning it must be spent on improvements to hospital buildings, facilities or equipment rather than day-to-day running costs.
Cathy Jones, acting chief executive of Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, praised staff across the organisation for helping reduce waiting times.
She said: “Staff across the hospital have worked incredibly hard over the last 18 months to improve our four-hour performance. We have made rapid changes to improve processes, and in turn improve the experience for those attending our hospitals.”
She added: “It is fantastic to be acknowledged nationally, and I’m so proud that the efforts of staff have been recognised. This funding will continue to make a difference to both our staff and patients.”
The trust has not yet confirmed exactly how the £2million will be spent, but said it will be invested in equipment or improvements to its estate to benefit patients and staff across its hospitals, including Luton and Dunstable University Hospital.
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