Russells Hall Hospital coronavirus deaths could not have been prevented - report
The deaths of more than 250 coronavirus patients at a Black Country hospital could not have been prevented, a review has concluded.
Embattled staff at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley provided top-level care as they were overwhelmed with patients at the height of the pandemic in March and April, bosses said.
Dudley, like Wolverhampton, was one of the early hotspots of the coronavirus crisis and nothing could be done for patients struck down with the virus, many of whom had underlying health conditions.
A routine mortality review was carried out by the Dudley Group NHS Trust, which runs Russells Hall, into 258 Covid-19 deaths.
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A new report said: "258 patients had died as a result of Covid-19 and the Black Country had surged earlier than the rest of the country.
"The review had assessed whether the quality of care had been good and the planning and processes deployed had been effective.
"The medical examiners had been used to review a sample of deaths and the results had demonstrated a high standard of care with no excess mortality. In summary there was good assurance around the quality of care and increasing assurance around the avoidability of mortality."
The death toll at Russells Hall has now risen to 264.
The Black Country was among areas worst affected by Covid-19 when it first arrived in the UK, but the infection rate has slowed massively since lockdown.
Despite the improvement in the situation, there remain concerns among bosses at Russells Hall that people are staying away and putting off treatment.
There was a huge drop in numbers attending A&E during March and April due to fears over Covid-19. Elective surgeries are now starting up again after all non-emergency procedures were halted to allow doctors to focus on fighting coronavirus.
Minutes from the June board meeting said: "It was noted that a significant number of patients were declining appointments and the trust was working hard to reassure the public and provide confidence that its infection control procedures provided a safe environment for care."
