Giuseppe
Emeritus
[Source: The Guardian, full text: (LINK).]
Hospitals 'full to bursting' as bed shortage hits danger level
3 December 2012 | Denis Campbell
Death rates at more than a dozen trusts are worryingly high, says Dr Foster report based on NHS's own performance data. Hospitals are "full to bursting" and bed use is reaching such "dangerous" levels that staff are struggling to maintain the safety and quality of patients' care, claims an authoritative report based on the NHS's own performance data. Bed occupancy rates are often well above 85%, the maximum for patients to be well looked after and not exposed to health risks, according to official statistics collated by healthcare information firm Dr Foster, which the government half owns. The analysis also found that death rates at more than a dozen hospital trusts in England are "worryingly high". At 12 trusts, death rates were higher than expected on two out of four hospital mortality measures.
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- ------3 December 2012 | Denis Campbell
Death rates at more than a dozen trusts are worryingly high, says Dr Foster report based on NHS's own performance data. Hospitals are "full to bursting" and bed use is reaching such "dangerous" levels that staff are struggling to maintain the safety and quality of patients' care, claims an authoritative report based on the NHS's own performance data. Bed occupancy rates are often well above 85%, the maximum for patients to be well looked after and not exposed to health risks, according to official statistics collated by healthcare information firm Dr Foster, which the government half owns. The analysis also found that death rates at more than a dozen hospital trusts in England are "worryingly high". At 12 trusts, death rates were higher than expected on two out of four hospital mortality measures.
(?)