Pledge by chiefs on Russells Hall Hospital death rates

The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Russells Hall Hospital, is one of 14 trusts across the country being investigated by NHS medical director, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh.

Sir Bruce said the trusts face examination following the Francis Inquiry which highlighted failings in Mid-Staffordshire. Dudley Group medical director Dr Paul Harrison was quizzed by councillors in the borough at a meeting last night after they demanded an update and a swift res-ponse to tackle the issue.

Dr Harrison revealed staff had been "demoralised" when death rates were revealed but the trust was showing significant improvements in latest figures.

He said trust officials had been on a fact-finding mission to the North West to talk to health bosses in the area about how they improved death rates during his report to Dudley Council's health and adult social care scrutiny committee.

Officials visited a health care quality improvement body called the Advancing Quality Alliance which includes members of the North West Strategic Health Authority. Dr Harrison said an action plan had been drawn up.

Monthly presentations are now made by clinical departments to the trust chairman, chief ex-ecutive, medical director and the new Clinical Commissioning Group to track any issues. "We have made a significant effort. Substantial effects are now being seen – all our current indicators are within expected ranges," said Dr Harrison.

The number of patient deaths at the hospital was above expected levels in 2011/12, the Doctor Foster Hospital Guide found. At Dudley Group the hospital standardised mortality rating, which measures deaths while in hospital care, was 111.1 between April 2011 and March 2012. The expected level is 100. But Dr Harrison said latest available results from April to August 2012 show the trust is now meeting the 100 target.