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UK deaths analysis highlights poor care
Source: Agencies |
November 29, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
PATIENTS are dying at a higher than expected rate at 19 hospital trusts in England, a health information body said yesterday, raising concerns about the consistency of care across the National Health Service.
Dr Foster Intelligence, an NHS partner organization that collates and analyzes health care data, said two of the hospitals also had unusually high levels of patient death after surgery.
But it said the overall picture was improving compared to 12 months ago when 27 out of England's 147 hospital trusts were found to have high patient death rates.
The high mortality rate discovered at Stafford Hospital in the English midlands sparked an investigation in 2008 that found "horrific" levels of care and led to the departure of senior managers.
However, the two hospitals identified in Dr Foster's latest survey as having high patient and post-surgery mortality defended their records.
Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust said its catchment area had one of England's highest rates for smoking and alcohol abuse, while also having few hospice places, meaning that a higher than average number of patients died in its wards.
University Hospitals Birmingham said the Dr.Foster analysis was "flawed" and did not reflect the quality of care it provided.
"We believe there is a risk that figures like these could cause unnecessary confusion and distress among patients and are a distraction to concentrating on providing the best care," said UHB medical director Dave Rosser.
Rosser said inspectors at the Care Quality Commission were also satisfied the hospital's mortality rate was not a concern.
But Dr Foster research director Roger Taylor said UHB's high mortality warranted further investigation.
Dr Foster Intelligence, an NHS partner organization that collates and analyzes health care data, said two of the hospitals also had unusually high levels of patient death after surgery.
But it said the overall picture was improving compared to 12 months ago when 27 out of England's 147 hospital trusts were found to have high patient death rates.
The high mortality rate discovered at Stafford Hospital in the English midlands sparked an investigation in 2008 that found "horrific" levels of care and led to the departure of senior managers.
However, the two hospitals identified in Dr Foster's latest survey as having high patient and post-surgery mortality defended their records.
Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust said its catchment area had one of England's highest rates for smoking and alcohol abuse, while also having few hospice places, meaning that a higher than average number of patients died in its wards.
University Hospitals Birmingham said the Dr.Foster analysis was "flawed" and did not reflect the quality of care it provided.
"We believe there is a risk that figures like these could cause unnecessary confusion and distress among patients and are a distraction to concentrating on providing the best care," said UHB medical director Dave Rosser.
Rosser said inspectors at the Care Quality Commission were also satisfied the hospital's mortality rate was not a concern.
But Dr Foster research director Roger Taylor said UHB's high mortality warranted further investigation.
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