Heart surgery survival rates hailed at New Cross Hospital
New Cross Hospital has one of the lowest death rates for heart surgery in the UK, new figures show.
The survival rate at the Wolverhampton hospital’s heart and lung centre, which treats people from across the West Midlands, was 98.67 per cent between 2014 to 2017.
It means the centre finished in the top three for the period, according to the Society For Cardiothoracic Surgery In Great Britain And Ireland.
Bosses at the hospital have praised the hard work of staff at the centre, which carries out about 900 operations a year on patients from across the region.
David Loughton, chief executive of the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital NHS Trust, said staff had produced “world class” outcomes for patients. He said: “They are a very strong and organised team.
"We are very lucky to have great consultants and the clinical teams are a joy to work with.
“The centre has been producing world-class outcomes for our patients since it opened and I am proud of these latest figures showing the care we provide is amongst the best in the country.”
Stephen Billing, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said the team was continuing to develop as it was “very close” to achieving a 99 per cent survival rate.
He said: “We are very close to achieving 99 per cent and are fairly consistent in getting to around this figure.
“It is a testament to the hard work and skills of the clinical teams and the dedication of the support staff.
“Patients are referred to us in a timely manner and the skill set of the team here is brilliant.”
The department previously recorded the lowest death rate in the country for heart surgery between 2011 to 2012.
The state-of-the-art centre first opened in October 2004 to provide surgical and cardiological treatment of cardiac and lung disease to people in the Black Country.
