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Health Secretary comments on Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratio statistics.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said:

“Our world leading Scottish Patient Safety Programme continues to have a significant impact on the quality and safety of patient care, with these figures showing we have reduced unexpected hospital deaths by 11.2% - saving 9,750 lives since the first quarter of 2014. This has allowed thousands more people to continue to live as full a life as possible with family and friends.

“We set out to achieve a 10% reduction in hospital standardised mortality by December 2018, achieving this key aim 15 months earlier than planned.

“Our ongoing progress is testament to the hard work of thousands of staff across the country at a time when our NHS is treating more people, with more complex needs.

“This programme continues to improve the safety of healthcare wherever it is delivered, ensuring better outcomes for some of our most vulnerable people.”

Background:

The full statistical publication is available on the Information Services Division Scotland website.

Our target is to reduce hospital standardised mortality by 10% from January to March 2014 (first quarter after new baseline) and October to December 2018.

Against the target these statistics confirm there has already been a decrease of 11.2% between January to March 2014 (first quarter after new baseline) and April to June 2018.

No hospitals had a significantly higher standardised mortality ratio in April to June 2018 compared with the national average.

Two hospitals had a significantly lower standardised mortality ratio in April to June 2018 compared with the national average: Western General Hospital, Edinburgh (HSMR of 0.66) and Ninewells Hospital, Dundee (HSMR of 0.70).