Hospital deaths: Five per cent more than expected die at Staffordshire hospitals
More hospital patients in Staffordshire died than were expected to last year, according to shock new figures revealed by the Express & Star today.
And Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital posted the worst unexpected death rate in the country – a staggering 475 more deaths than had been estimated.
Officials estimated there should have been 4,123 deaths at the University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust (UHNMT) or within 30 days of discharge in 2017.
However, 4,313 people died – five per cent more than had been estimated. The figure falls within the official ‘expected’ rating for NHS trusts, which allows for 12 per cent leeway.
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Bosses at UHNMT, which runs County Hospital in Stafford and Royal Stoke University Hospital, said the figures are taken ‘incredibly seriously’ and are monitored to look for trends.
Healthwatch Staffordshire works on behalf of the public, holding the NHS to account.
Executive director Elizabeth Learoyd said “The higher-than-expected number of deaths is concerning.
“Healthwatch will be looking closely at the statistics to identify which groups are particularly affected and ask the hospital and clinical commissioning group for an explanation for this”.
The statistics were compiled in the latest NHS Digital report on hospital mortality rates, and show that 13 trusts were categorised as having higher death rates than expected.
Elsewhere
They include the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which was the worst in the country with 475 more deaths than were predicted. The trust recorded 2,654 deaths in 2017, 22 per cent higher than the estimate of 2,179.
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, which runs Sandwell General Hospital and City Hospital in Birmingham, was also named as having a higher than expected death rate. It was expected to record 1,898 deaths in 2017, but instead had 2,137 – 239 more deaths (13 per cent).
NHS Digital has warned that the figures, which were brought in as a result of the Mid-Staffordshire hospital crisis, only act as a ‘smoke alarm’ for further investigation.
Two other trusts in the region were classed as having a mortality rate ‘as expected’, despite recording more deaths than had been estimated.
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Manor Hospital, had 147 more deaths than expected (10 per cent) and Dudley NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Russells Hall Hospital, had four per cent more deaths than expected at 2,433.
The figures come from the Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator. A similar form of data analysis helped to uncover the Mid Staffs hospital scandal in 2010, which saw between 400 and 1,200 patients die as a result of poor care between January 2005 and March 2009 at Stafford Hospital
Sir Robert Francis QC, published his final report into the scandal in 2013, finding that bosses became obsessed with cost-cutting and government targets at the expense of care.
His report in the wake of the 2010 public inquiry found hundreds of patients experienced ‘appalling and unnecessary’ suffering.
Bosses: We take figures incredibly seriously
Cases of patients who die in hospital are reviewed to help staff provide the very best care, says a Staffordshire medical director.
Figures released by NHS Digital show there were 190 more deaths at University Hospitals of North Midlands than expected in 2017.
During the 12 months, 4,313 died at the trust, which runs County Hospital in Stafford and Royal Stoke University Hospital, or within 30 days of discharge.
Although this number is five per cent more than the 4,123 estimated deaths, the figure falls within the official ‘expected’ rating for NHS trusts, which allows for leeway over estimates. Dr John Oxtoby, medical director at University Hospitals of North Midlands, said the trust takes the figures ‘incredibly seriously’.
He said that mortality rates are monitored long-term so that staff can keep any eye out for any patterns that might require further investigation.
The latest NHS Digital figures come from the Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator which was developed following the Stafford Hospital scandal in 2010.
An investigation was launched into the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust, which has since been dissolved, by regulators after records showed there were up to 1,200 more deaths than expected between 2005 and 2009.
It led to the Government calling for a public inquiry, which was spearheaded by Sir Robert Francis, whose report published in 2010 confirmed the fears of many patients and relatives revealing the full extent of substandard care.
Speaking about the latest figures, Dr Oxtoby said: “UHNM is one of 103 trusts that had a number of deaths within the expected range. The Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator was developed in response to the public inquiry into the former Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, and therefore we take it incredibly seriously.
“We monitor mortality rates over long periods of time to look for any trends that need further investigation.
“SHMI, and other similar metrics that look at trust mortality, are only one component of the information available to us to understand the pattern of in-hospital deaths
“Our organisation has a strong focus on reviewing cases of patients who die in hospital to ensure we provide the very best care for patients going forward.”
