Hospitals in concern at rate of patient deaths

More patients than expected are dying at three out of five hospital trusts in the West Midlands and Staffordshire, latest NHS figures show.

Mortality rates at Dudley's Russells Hall, Wolverhampton's New Cross and Walsall's Manor hospitals were higher than expected, data released by the NHS Information Centre reveals.

There were fewer deaths than expected at hospitals run by Mid Staffordshire, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS trusts.

Dudley was the worst performing hospital trust in the region, recording a mortality rate of 112 on a scale measured where the expected death rate is set at 100.

In the year July 2010-June 2011, 252 more patients than expected died at Russells Hall.

There were 204 more deaths than expected at New Cross in Wolverhampton, which posted a Standard Hospital-level Mortality Indicator reading of 110.

Walsall Manor's rating was 106, with 92 more patients than expected dying in 12 months.

Six fewer patients than expected died in Sandwell where the figure was 99.7 while at Stafford and Cannock Chase hospitals, 37 fewer patients than expected died. The mortality rate there was 96.2.

Paula Clark, chief executive of the trust which runs Russells Hall, said: "We take mortality indicators very seriously and use a number of sources to assure ourselves of the quality of our care. In particular a review of all deaths is undertaken by a senior medical team.

"We are pleased to say that on all occasions where we have followed up a mortality alert presented to us by the Care Quality Commission, both we and the CQC were assured of the quality of our care."

New Cross Hospital said more up to date statistics showed an improvement. It said it constantly monitored the data.