Trust’s action to cut mortality rate

HOSPITAL bosses have defended themselves after mortality rates at the Pennine Acute Trust, which runs the Royal Oldham Hospital, were deemed one of the highest in the country.

A report by hospital watchdog Dr Foster named the trust, which runs hospitals in Oldham, Rochdale, North Manchester and Bury, as one of 19 trusts with higher than expected mortality rates in 2009-10.

It was also identified as having had a high Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratio (HSMR) for the last six years.

HSMR’s are a key measure of health performance because they scrutinise 56 medical conditions which account for 80 per cent of all deaths in hospital. But bosses at the Trust said action taken from April had already reduced the mortality rate.

Dr Ruth Jameson, medical director, said: “Mortality statistics do not necessarily reflect poor quality care.

“They can be attributed to a range of factors including the health of the local population and the way in which data is recorded. Last year we recognised that we had more work to do to reduce mortality. We took firm action.

“The results of that action to improve patient pathways across various services can now be seen.”

Dr Jameson said the Trust had been working as part of a group of nine NHS Trusts known as the North West Mortality Collaborative.

It has looked at the way mortality is measured, as well as initiatives including emergency care pathways, End of Life Care and clinical pathways specific to heart failure.

She said the Trust had improved patient care and reduced hospital stays.

She said: “Improved patient flow has a direct impact on patients getting better faster and safely, which in turn has an effect on mortality rates.

“Irrespective of the way Trusts measure mortality, what is important is that we continue to focus on improving outcomes for patients and ensure our services and procedures are clinically safe.”

The Dr Foster report rated Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust as the worst with an 18 per cent higher mortality rate than average.

Both the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust were rated best by having a mortality rate that was 28 per cent lower than expected.