Trust rated lowest in region for safety

Patients in Wolverhampton have found to be the most at risk in the region from poor patient safety in their local hospitals, according to a new report.

The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals Trust has been ranked 104th in the country for patient safety, according to the Doctor Foster Hospital Guide 2009. The city's health trust is lagging behind Dudley Group of Hospitals, which was at 93. Wolverhampton is also behind Walsall Hospitals Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust.

Patients in Sandwell were the best off, with Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals (SWBH) NHS Trust coming top in the region. It declared six occasions when surgical objects were left inside patients.

A total of 146 trusts have been rated on performance factors including death rates, infection rates and mistakes.

Despite its lowly position, Wolverhampton was judged as achieving overall quality of service and satisfactory financial management. The trust also met its targets for a maximum four-hour wait in A&E from arrival to admission, and patients' food needs were satisfied and their dignity respected.

The report also showed that infection control at Wolverhampton was within government guidelines.

Patients admitted for general medicine, cardiothoracic surgery, neurology, rheumatology, geriatric medicine and plastic surgery were treated within the required 18 weeks.

However, only 79 per cent of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedic treatment were seen and 84 per cent of gynaecology patients.

Mid Staffordshire Hospital Trust ranked ninth in the country for patient safety.

Hospitals throughout the country have refuted the report's claims. Overall, the report found that nationally, in at least 209 cases, items were left inside patients after surgery, while surgeons operated on the wrong part of the body at least 82 times.

A total of 478 operations were cancelled in 2008-09 because patient notes were missing.