MORTALITY rates across Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust have improved, according to figures released this week.

The Health & Social Care Information Centre has published the Summary Hospital-Level Mortality Indicator (SHMI) statistics for the period April 2012 to March 2013, revealing that the mortality rate for has reduced, placing the trust in the ‘as expected’ range.

The SHMI for April 2012 to March 2013 places the Trust in band 2 which is the ‘as expected’ range. This means the mortality rate is no longer in the ‘higher than expected’ (or ‘outlier’) range and that the number of deaths recorded at the Trust’s hospitals and for 30 days after discharge, is in the expected range.

Anne Eden, chief executive, said: "This is excellent news for all our patients and our staff. We are focused on a programme of continuous quality improvement and have steadily seen an improvement in our mortality rate. I hope this latest improvement in the mortality rate, taking us into the ‘as expected’ range, reassures all our patients and local residents that we are delivering safe, quality care.

The Trust was classed as having a higher than average mortality rate for the period October 2010 to December 2012, which led to its inclusion in the national Keogh review in June this year.

Anne added: "Following the Keogh review we have a clear action plan in place, which we are making real progress against. We remain on an improvement journey and have some real examples of clinical excellence to be proud of - low infection rates, excellent surgical outcomes, a high-performing stroke service." She added the Trust was constantly learning and aimed to improve care further.

The SHMI is the official Department of Health measure used to measure risk adjusted mortality. It covers all deaths reported of patients who were admitted to non-specialist acute trusts in England and either die while in hospital or within 30 days of discharge.