Walsall Manor Hospital death rates review due Spring

The investigation was commissioned by borough council chiefs after the Pleck Road hospital recorded higher mortality rates than other comparable hospitals. Bosses vowed to tackle the issue and an action plan was drawn up.

But the council decided that it wanted an independent report in a bid to reassure residents.

It was announced at a meeting of the council's health scrutiny and performance panel yesterday that the findings of the 12-week review would be presented and discussed at their next meeting on March 12.

Committee chairman Councillor Marco Longhi said: "We want to establish for ourselves whether the hospital should be doing things differently."

Report

In December a report into hospital death rates named Walsall Healthcare Trust as one of 12 with higher than expected death rates in 2011 to 2012.

According to the Doctor Foster Hospital Guide, Walsall Manor had a hospital standardised mortality rate of 117 between April 2011 and March 2012. The expected level is 100.

Hospital chiefs say the number of deaths has fallen every month since the Dr Foster report was revealed and stood at 92 between April and August.

They have also told how new staff have been taken on and every death at the hospital is being reviewed.

Seven new medical consultants are due to be taken on by April to improve staffing levels as well as new nurses.

Experts from Mott Macdonald will be analysing the mortality rates and the work being done to address the issue.