The NHS trust that runs King George Hospital in Goodmayes is the country’s least popular among inpatients, a new survey reveals today.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, which also runs Queen’s Hospital in Romford, scored 43 out of a possible 100 in NHS England’s “friends and family test” – the lowest score in the country. The survey asked whether patients would recommend the trust’s hospitals to friends and family.

It doesn’t mean people wouldn’t recommend BHR – 89 per cent of responders said they were “likely” or “extremely likely” to recommend the trust to family or friends.

But it does mean people are less likely to recommend it than any other trust in Britain.

King George, in Barley Lane, scored 58, while Queen’s in Rom Valley Way scored 38 out of 100.

Elsewhere, the A&E department at King George – which has been earmarked for closure – was ranked 22nd worst of 200.

The Queen’s A&E department, which will become the closest emergency unit for much of Redbridge if the one at King George shuts, fared even worse, scoring 17/100 – making it Britain’s 11th worst ranked out of 200.

More than one in five patients was unlikely to recommend the department, or unsure.

BHR’s chief exec Averil Dongworth said: “I am pleased the trust had the highest response rate in London for the new friends and family test.

“This shows we encourage feedback and are committed to listening to our patients. Their opinions help us shape services, celebrate areas of good practice and focus on areas that need further improvement.

“We have been working hard to get the views of patients, and are now using their feedback to target areas that are not performing as well as we would like.”