WEST Middlesex Hospital has one of the UK’s lowest mortality rates, a report published this week reveals.

The hospital, in Twickenham Road, Isleworth, is in the top fifth nationally for death rates, according to the annual Dr Foster Hospital Guide, published on Monday (November 28).

The watchdog ranks hospitals on four criteria: deaths in hospital (Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratio), deaths within 30 days of treatment, deaths after surgery and deaths in ‘low-risk’ conditions.

West Mid’s HSMR, was 88, well below the standard of 100, making it one of the 22 per cent of trusts with lower than expected death rates.

It was within the expected range for the other three criteria but was one of the worst hospitals when it came to hip operations, with more than two thirds of hip fracture patients not operated on within two days of admission.

However, recovery rates for hip operations were better than average at West Mid, according to the guide, with the average hip replacement patient spending just four days in hospital.

The hospital’s medical director Dr Stella Barnass said the guide showed evidence of its ‘continued improvements in patient safety’.

“Everyone who comes into hospital needs assurance that they will receive safe care. However, not all deaths are avoidable and sadly some patients will die from their illness,” she added.

“One of our priorities for 2010/11 was to reduce our mortality ratio, as part of our patient safety improvements.

“We use a number of measures to understand mortality, each is slightly different but we are better than expected for both nationally recognised ratios.”

Among the initiatives the hospital credited with helping improve patient safety are:

* Routinely assessing patients for blood clots on admission

* Introducing a new patient observation chart to help staff identify the need for urgent medical help when a patient’s condition has changed

* A new multidisciplinary patient safety forum introduced in May 2010 to highlight and manage patient safety concerns

* Regular executive ‘walkabouts’ to engage frontline staff in discussions with directors about safety, quality and patient experience issues

* The introduction of ‘Hospital at Night’ to ensure patients get consistently high standards of care around the clock.