Airedale NHS chief: 'Patient safety is priority at trust' (From Keighley News)

Airedale NHS chief: 'Patient safety is priority at trust'

9:00am Monday 17th September 2012 in Keighley

The chief executive of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust has been forced to issue a statement of reassurance in response to an article in a trade magazine which questioned its patient safety record.

The Health Service Journal (HSJ) analysed data submitted by the trust, and other trusts across the country, to reveal patients were suffering avoidable harm during their care at some trusts, including Airedale.

However, the data on the number of patients acquiring a VTE – venous thromboembolism – while under the care of Airedale Hospital, was incorrect.

The data was submitted by Airedale NHS Foundation Trust as part of the NHS Safety Thermometer, a tool used for measuring, monitoring and analysing patient harm and ‘harm-free’ care.

Bridget Fletcher, chief executive of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, issued a statement to reassure patients, staff and commissioners, that safety remains a top priority for the trust.

She said: “The data in the HSJ article was taken from our July safety thermometer submission. This was our first submission of this new information and we now realise it included an error in the VTE data we provided following a misinterpretation of the definition relating to the ‘new other’ category.

“As a result, the percentage of patients who appeared to have acquired a VTE under our care was wrong and not the actual position.

“We would like to reassure all our patients, members of the public and commissioners that patient safety is one of our top priorities and we apologise if this inaccurate data has caused any unnecessary alarm or concern.

“This Foundation Trust welcomes the introduction of the NHS Safety Thermometer, which we believe will help us benchmark and seek out best practice so we can further improve.

“We are never complacent about patient safety and always seek to provide the highest-quality care and strive for improvements wherever possible.

“Airedale NHS Foundation Trust has an excellent record for patient safety, as recognised by independent analysis of all hospitals by CHKS when we were awarded the patient safety award for 2012.”