Death rates probe at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of five trusts nationwide to be investigated by the NHS Commissioning Board following two years of alarmingly high deaths.

The probe was sparked after a report was published into neglect and mistreatment at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust and the PM revealed a raft of changes designed to ensure any future failures in NHS organisations are detected and dealt with quickly and effectively.

As well as the investigation into the standards of care at hospitals with the highest mortality rates Mr Cameron announced the creation of a chief inspector of hospitals to tackle falling standards.

It comes after it was revealed Fylde coast hospitals were found to have a high Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator figures (SHMI) - used to record deaths after treatment - for two successive years to 2012.

NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh is to launch the immediate investigation into five trusts which had higher-than-average death rates for the last two years.

Speaking in the Commons after the 1,782-page report was released, Mr Cameron announced a raft of changes designed to ensure that any future failures in NHS organisations are detected and dealt with quickly.

The Prime Minister said: “I have asked the NHS medical director, Prof Bruce Keogh, to conduct an immediate investigation into the hospitals with the highest mortality rates and to check that urgent remedial action is being taken.”

Prof Keogh said: “Each of the hospitals we identify today is already under scrutiny by regulators.

“This clinically led and practical investigation will allow me to assure myself, Parliament and patients that these hospitals have everything they need to improve.”

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