Hospitals hail success as mortality rates fall
PATIENTS are now a lot less likely to die at Ormskirk and Southport hospitals than they were previously, councillors have been told.
Speaking at a Sefton Council meeting, Ainsdale councillor and former Sefton Conservative group leader Terry Jones said: “I know of a lot of elderly people – my dad was one of them – who will get into an ambulance and they’ll say ‘Don’t take me to Southport Hospital because I won’t come out again’.”
But Terry Hankin, medical director at Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals Trust, said an “enormous amount of work” had gone into reducing the mortality rates at both sites.
He said: “In April, 2018, you were much more likely to die if you came to Southport or Ormskirk hospitals than if you went to a benchmark hospital.
“And I mean significantly more likely.
“But, since then, we have had a significant sustained reduction in mortality.
“If you come to either hospital now, you are less likely to die than if you went to the average hospital.”
Mr Hankin said that a number of new procedures, including zero tolerance of corridor care and “no longer having ambulances queued up outside”, were key factors in the new figures.
The trust’s deputy chief executive, Therese Patten, also addressed the council’s overview and scrutiny committee – and discussed the future of both hospital sites.
She said: “Southport is an old hospital and we have invested significant resources into the site.
“A ward refurbishment campaign costing just under a million pounds began on Monday.
“There are a number of future options. One still on the table is a new-build. This would significantly resolve problems – but it would cost up to £300m.
“Given the current state of the NHS, are we likely to use this amount of resource?
“Another option is a smaller single site – which would cost around £90m.
“Or we could do work to either the Southport or the Ormskirk site.”
Ms Patten said that there will be a public consultation in the New Year to help decide which option is best.
Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust faced overwhelming criticism in 2003 when it shut Southport’s children’s A&E and maternity services, and Ormskirk’s adult A&E.
The trust – which is currently rated “Requires Improvement” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – was reinspected last month. Hospital bosses said that there had been significant improvement – although they did not expect to achieve a “Good” rating this time.
Mr Hankin said: “In some areas, [Southport] hospital is unrecognisable. We probably won’t get a ‘Good’ rating this time, but we’ll be close.” ● WHAT do you think? Please email us at: seftoncommunities@trinitymirror.com