BHR Trust has slightly better-than-average mortality rate

Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust has been given a better-than-average mortality rate, the Department of Health revealed last week.

The Trust, which manages Queen’s Hospital in Romford and King George Hospital in Goodmayes, was given an overall score of .97 – slightly lower than the national average of 1.

The report looked at the number of patients who died in hospital or within 30 days of being discharged. That figure was then divided by the number of patients expected to die at a Trust of that size and with the same facilities.

BHR Trust had 3,038 deaths from April 2010 to March 2011 – 113 less than expected.

The worst performing hospital in the country was George Eliot Hospital in Coventry which scored 1.2 and had 1,024 deaths in total.

The report comes as the Care Quality Commission last week released a damming report of the Trust, with saw five maternity-related deaths at Queen’s Hospital in 18 months.

Medical Director Stephen Burgess said: “We have been working extremely hard to reduce our mortality rates, and I am delighted that this report proves that real improvements have been made.

“Mortality rates are seen as an indicator of wider standards of clinical care across the organisation. This shows that we are committed to providing the best possible care for our patients.”