3 December 2010
Epsom, Sutton and St Helier hospitals are amongst the safest in the country, according to an authoritative new study.
The Doctor Foster Hospital Guide 2010, which was published this week (28 November), revealed the hospital standardised mortality ratio (HSMR) for all 147 acute hospital trusts in the country. And Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust was named as being one out of just 26 trusts with a lower than expected HSMR.
The HSMR is an indicator of whether the death rate at a hospital is higher or lower than you would expect. It looks at the majority of activity in a hospital where risk of death is significant, and compares how many people would be expected to die with the actual rate of death. Epsom and St Helier hospitals had an HSMR of 90, which is 10% lower than the expected death rate.
Chief Executive Samantha Jones said: "Our doctors, nurses and other staff work hard to ensure that our patients receive the best possible care. However, a small number of people are just so sick that we are unable to save their lives.
"This report shows that people are a lot less likely to die in our hospitals compared to the average trust and, for me, it is a sign of how importantly we take the safety of our patients.
"The Dr Foster Hospital Guide is well-respected by experts in healthcare, as well as by charities, the Government and the media. These figures should reassure our patients and local people about the importance we place on ensuring they receive first class care.
"However, we are not complacent and will continue to track our HSMR to make sure it remains as low as possible."
