East Lancs hospitals in bottom third in patients league table (From Blackburn Citizen)

East Lancs hospitals in bottom third in patients league table

7:30am Monday 30th November 2009

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A NEW patient league table shows East Lancashire’s hospitals are in the bottom third — but NHS bosses say steps have already been taken to remedy the problem.

In research just published by independent health monitor Dr Foster, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, was ranked 108th out of 146 NHS trusts in its Good Hospital Guide.

The rankings, for the trust which governs the Royal Blackburn, Burnley General, Accrington Victoria, Clitheroe, Rossendale and Pendle hospitals, were based on indicators such as mortality rates, operation waits and re-admission rates.

The league table has emerged in the wake of the scandal involving alarming death rates at hospital tru-sts in Basildon and Colchester, in Essex.

Among the worst trusts, hospitals in Scarborough, Coventry and south Manchester are included. Airedale’s Hospital Trust, which treats patients in West Craven and Colne, was ranked in the top 20.

But East Lancs trust bosses say that the Dr Foster ratings are based on information dating back to last March.

And a more recent inspection by the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA), conducted just a week ago, had given the East Lancashire organisation a ‘glowing recommendation’.

Lynn Wissett, the hospi-tal’s deputy chief executive and clinical care director, said: “We welcome the publication of the Dr Foster guide.

“Overall, these results are a snapshot of the situation we faced eight months ago, and even then the few areas of under-performance did not put patients at risk.”

The trust believes it was marked down on its acco-mmodation facilities for patients’ relatives, a small number of operations can-celled due to missing notes and hold-ups with palliative care teams.

In the NHSLA inspection, the trust says it was placed in the top 10 per cent for patient safety and received a ‘level three rating, awarded to just six per cent of hospital trusts.

The trust plans to open more rooms for relatives’ overnight stays when the new women’s and newborn unit eventually opens at Burnley General.

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