Chief's staffing probe vow over Russells Hall Hospital death rates

Mr Austin requested the meeting after the hospital was revealed to have death rates significantly higher than the national average.

At a meeting today, held at Westminster, the MP also handed over a dossier detailing patients' experiences. And he said the director accepted Austin's request to look at staffing levels and promised that his review team would come to Dudley to meet patients and their families and hear about their experiences.

A probe was launched by Mr Keogh into death rates at the hospital in the wake of damning revelations into failings at Stafford Hospital following the publication of the Francis report.

Russells Hall, under the management of Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, is one of 14 across the country which are being investigated.

Labour MP Mr Austin asked patients to get in contact with their individual cases detailing their treatment at Russells Hall to give Sir Keogh an insight into their time on the wards.

"Like everyone in Dudley, when there is something wrong with me or my family, we queue at Russells Hall," he said.

"I think staff at the hospital work really hard but I am concerned to hear the hospital will be reviewed because it has mortality rates that are significantly higher than the UK average.

"I asked patients and families to get in touch and send me their accounts so I could share their concerns with Bruce Keogh.

"I handed him a dossier of cases, and I'm very pleased that he's agreed to come to Dudley so that he can hear from patients and their families.

"Many people told me shortcomings in care for their relatives stemmed from over-stretched nurses, and I want Bruce Keogh to look at whether staffing levels at the hospital are adequate. If problems are identified, they need to be put right." Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Paula Clark has defended its record but welcomed the investigation to give 'further reassurance' to patients.

The number of patient deaths at the hospital in 2011-12 was above expected levels, the Doctor Foster Hospital Guide found.

At Dudley Group the hospital standardised mortality rating, which measures deaths while in hospital care, was 111.1 between April 2011 and March 2012. The expected level is 100.

Dudley Group medical director Dr Paul Harrison told councillors at a recent meeting that latest available results from April to August 2012 show the trust is now meeting the 100 target.