The BRI was awarded two stars

Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) and Bath's Royal United Hospital (RUH) had scored no stars in previous performance league tables.

This year, the trust behind the BRI was awarded two stars, partly for improving treatment of cancer patients.

The trust responsible for the RUH and the North Bristol NHS Trust, which runs Frenchay and Southmead Hospitals, won one star each.

Ron Kerr, chief executive at United Bristol Healthcare Trust - which runs the BRI - said: "I am delighted that all the hard work of staff should have been rewarded.

Star ratings in full North Bristol NHS Trust - 1 star United Bristol Healthcare Trust - 2 stars Royal United Hospital (RUH) Bath NHS Trust - 1 star East Somerset NHS Trust - 3 stars Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust - 3 stars Weston Area NHS Trust - 0 stars Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust - 2 stars Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust - 2 stars Salisbury Health Care NHS Trust - 3 stars

"We are one of few trusts in the country to have made such significant improvement in the space of one year."

The NHS watchdog the Healthcare Commission, which awards the stars, said that overall, the health service in England is improving.

The commission assessed every hospital, ambulance and primary care trust in England.

It examined how well they are doing against key government targets, such as waiting times and cleanliness.

Weston General Hospital in Weston-super-Mare fared less well, with a zero stars rating - the only one for hospitals in the region.

Ambulance services

Elsewhere in Somerset, Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust, which runs Musgrove Park, slipped from three stars last year to two.

East Somerset Trust; Salisbury Health Care Trust and Gloucestershire Hospitals Trust came top of the heap with three stars each.

In the ambulance league tables, Avon Ambulance Service NHS Trust received a zero rating, which it described as "disappointing", adding that its achievements over the last year were not reflected.

The Wiltshire Ambulance Trust, which also scored zero, says the rating highlights only part of the story and that performance has improved in the past few months.

The Westcountry Ambulance Service Trust and the Gloucestershire Ambulance Service Trust both took two stars.