Improving and assuring accuracy

Accepted.
The Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator which reports mortality data at trust level across the NHS in England, has been produced and published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre as an experimental Official Statistic since October 2011 (The data can be accessed from www.hscic.gov.uk/SHMI).
The UK Statistics Authority’s independent review of patient outcome statistics referred to in relation to recommendation 270 includes in scope a review of the Summary Hospital- level Mortality Indicator, its accessibility to patients and the public, and its status as Official Statistics. We expect the review to recommend that the Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator is assessed by UK Statistics Authority against the Code of Practice for Official Statistics (January 2009) with a view to securing designation as National Statistics.
In July 2013, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh published his Review into the quality of care and treatment provided by 14 hospital trusts in England. In his report Sir Bruce announced that he had asked Professor Nick Black and Professor Lord Ara Darzi to undertake a study into the relationship between excess mortality rates and actual avoidable deaths. This study is expected to pave the way for the introduction of a new national indicator on avoidable deaths in hospital measured through case notes reviews.

Summary Hospital-Level Mortality Indicator reports on mortality at trust level across the NHS in England using a standard and transparent methodology. It is produced and published monthly as an Accredited Official Statistic by NHS England.

The UK Statistics Authority’s review Official Statistics on Patient Outcomes in England recommended that Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator should be assessed against the Statistics Code. That assessment has begun. Professor Nick Black’s study has also commenced with preliminary results from the study expected in December 2014. The study is due to be completed in March 2015, after which findings will be published. Robust and accessible reporting of avoidable hospital deaths is not a simple matter, but the intention is to develop presentations and measures which can be understood and used by patients, and acted upon by clinicians and used by patients, and acted upon by clinicians and regulators, in a continual drive to reduce avoidable deaths.

This recommendation was by the Government,

A report was published in July 2015 by the UK Statistics Authority and the Health and Social Care Information Centre which found that more work needed to be done before Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator could be designated as official statistics. It appears to now be so designated.

On behalf of the Board of the Statistics Authority, I have reviewed these on the advice of the Assessment team and I am pleased to confirm the designation of Patient Outcome Statistics: Summary Hospital-Level Mortality Indicator: Deaths Associated with Hospitalisation; England as new National Statistics.