24.04.13
Mortality outliers reviews to begin
The review into hospitals with outlying mortality rates is beginning, with teams led by regional medical and nursing directors of NHS England.
Fourteen trusts were identified as having higher-than-expected rates for the past two years.
Each visit is expected to last two to three days, with the experts observing the hospital in action and taking part in meetings with patients and members of the public.
NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh is leading the reviews to find if there are any sustained failings in the quality of care and treatment at these hospitals and identify if existing action is adequate or whether additional steps or external support could be made available. The reviews will also consider if any areas may require regulatory action to protect patients.
The initial visits will be followed up by unannounced visits and the statutory organisations responsible for commissioning, regulating and performance managing the hospitals will then hold Risk Summits.
Prof Keogh said: “I am determined that these reviews should be about identifying solutions to any problems that may exist. I am interested in not just providing a diagnosis, but helping to write the prescription and provide support to these hospitals to help them improve.
“A higher than expected mortality rate does not in itself tell us that a hospital is unsafe. For example, units delivering highly complex and specialist care could legitimately have higher mortality rates. It is, however, a warning light that suggests further investigation is necessary.
“It is important that the mortality data warning light – which went unheeded at Mid-Staffordshire Hospitals – is checked in future. That is what this review is all about, and the lessons of Mid-Staffordshire will inform all of the NHS’s new ways of monitoring hospitals.
“Right across England, a new network of Quality Surveillance Groups is now operational, providing additional scrutiny of NHS-funded services and helping to detect problems at an early stage. The lessons learned from this review will also help to inform the soon to be established role of Chief Inspector of Hospitals.”
The first reviews will take place between May 7 and 9.
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