WIREDGOV

According to a new report from the European Union (EU) statistics office, a third of patients in the UK who die under the age of 75, do so needlessly because of avoidable failures in health care.

The concept of ‘avoidable deaths’ is based on the idea that these deaths would not have occurred at this stage, if health care was more effective. The data are similar throughout the EU, but UK is ranked 16th out of the total of 28 EU countries.

Responding to the news, Katherine Murphy, Chief Executive of the Patients Association said:

"These figures provide further evidence of the deepening crisis in the NHS, due to the increasing needs of patients while resources for health and social care are continually diminishing. Every day we hear from patients and their relatives calling our helpline expressing their distress and frustration at the worsening problems occurring in the NHS and in social care. 

“These are not just statistics, behind them are people’s lives. For years we have been raising concerns on behalf of patients who are bearing the brunt of the relentless NHS and social service cuts. Waiting times for treatment, operations, test results, access to treatments and medicines have all been affected. These, combined with reports such as this on the numbers of avoidable deaths confirm that the evidence is stacking up. We urge the Government to commit to tackling this shocking state of affairs and ensuring that the NHS is properly resourced and managed so that it can provide the care that patients need and deserve.” 

Related information: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Causes_of_death_statistics

Notes to Editors:

• The European Union statistics office reveal more than 60,000 people in the UK suffered an early death in 2013. 
• The Patients Association is an independent national health and social care charity established over 52 years ago, which has a long history of campaigning to ensure that the voice of patients is heard within the UK Health and Social care system. 
• For further information please contact Deborah McDonald on 020 8423 9111, or email deborah@patients-association.com. Visit our website at www.patients-association.org.uk