The UK healthcare system has seen better times. Long waiting lists, lack of coordination, high staff shortages, bureaucracy, and obstacles to sharing data for patient healthcare are just a few issues to name. It is perhaps not surprising that no UK hospital was listed among the top 10 performing hospitals in the world, according to new research by Newsweek and Statista.

Their World's Best Hospitals 2025 list shares the top hospitals worldwide based on an online survey of medical experts, patient experience data, and questionnaires. Standouts include the US Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Cleveland Clinic, Toronto General – University Health Network, and the Swedish Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset.

According to the ranking, the world’s best hospital is the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. This isn’t the first time it has received recognition - both in the US and internationally. It has been praised for quality more often than any other healthcare organisation.

Its history dates back to an 1883 tornado that devastated Rochester and destroyed one-third of the town. In the aftermath of the storm, some locals were forced to hide in the office of a local doctor, the British-born William Worral Mayo. As the town recovered, Mayo was asked to run a permanent hospital in Rochester. 

Today, the Mayo Clinic operates as a non-profit organization and treats approximately 1.3 million patients from over 130 countries each year.

A Mayo Clinic doctor told the Daily Express: "The needs of the patient come first in a truly multidisciplinary and collaborative manner. 

"There is constant innovation at all levels from research to clinical care, to education and dedicated staff from physicians to particularly allied health staff. 

"This environment coupled with endowment from thnakful patients allows transformative and meaningful care for all who need help."

The hospital is top-ranked in 13 specialities, including endocrinology, lung surgery, and gastroenterology. It’s also globally renowned for its groundbreaking medical research. For those guilty of googling about health issues way too often, the Mayo Clinic website provides a credible source of healthcare information.

Looking at the list, it takes some time until you spot the UK. The first one to appear on the list was 33rd London’s St. Thomas’ Hospital located on the south bank of the River Thames - placed in 33rd spot.

The hospital is known for establishing the world’s first nursing school, which opened in 1860. Its private healthcare division established Europe’s first clinics for adult congenital heart disease and adult cystic fibrosis at the Royal Brompton Hospital.

Beyond medical care, the hospital ensures patient comfort with facilities like cafes, shops, a hairdressing salon, and even a MediCinema for entertainment during recovery.

A patient recently admitted to an emergency surgery told the Daily Express: “The A&E experience is horrendous - so slow. 

"But once you're in the system, it's really clear and fast. There was good communication, and the food was amazing."

However, she added that the staff didn’t weigh her before administering anaesthesia, and she was left with an open catheter, bleeding into the bed for five minutes. In her opinion, the failures don't reflect the quality of the hospital but rather the overworked state of the nurses.