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Health Secretary praises staff for record low mortality ratio.

Health Secretary Alex Neil has thanked front-line health workers as latest figures show hospital deaths have reduced to the lowest level since the Scottish Patient Safety Programme was introduced.

Across Scotland there has been a 15.9 per cent reduction in Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratio (HSMR) over the course of the world-leading Scottish Patient Safety Programme, which began in 2008.

The programme, successfully led by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, aims to prevent avoidable harms and death.

Health Secretary Alex Neil said:

“It is very welcome news that the number of people who are dying in hospital has fallen so dramatically – especially at a time when our NHS is treating more people than ever before.

“The 15.9 per cent drop tells us just how much the picture has improved in seven years and is one of the reasons Scotland is emerging as a world-leader in delivering effective and safe care for patients.

“Scotland’s NHS has much to be proud of – from building services around patient’s experiences to delivering healthcare that improves the lives of patients.

“A key part of the patient experience is that the care they are given is safe – every person, every time. This is already happening for the vast majority of the 16,000 patients who are cared for safely and successfully by NHS Scotland every day. 

“This Government is determined to build on that remarkable work and continue improving, particularly in the face of challenges we all know the NHS is facing, such as our aging population.

“The drop in mortality rates across Scotland’s hospitals is one area where Scotland is particularly forging ahead and it means that lives have and are being saved every day.

“Frontline staff should be rightly proud of what they have enabled our NHS to achieve. I would like to thank them for the professionalism, dedication and commitment they have shown to the patient safety programme – which has delivered such positive results.”