Southend Hospital has been placed in the top 30 in England after its mortality rate came out the lowest in the region.

Patients at Basildon Hospital are more likely to die than those at Southend, the survey has revealed.

The mortality rate for Basildon NHS Trust puts it in the bottom 20 of more than 160 NHS trusts nationwide and the bottom three in the region.

The death rate at Basildon has also increased over the last year, while nationally the number of hospital deaths has fallen.

The figures take account of the socio-economic background of patients and their condition on admission to hospital. If exactly the number of people die as expected, the hospital scores 100.

If more people die at a hospital than expected the figure is higher and if less die the figure is lower.

Basildon and Thurrock NHS Trust scored 113 for April 2001 to April 2002. But Southend NHS Trust scored 90. The national average is 100 and the regional average is 102.

The figures go against the Department of Health star ratings in July last year, where Basildon was awarded the maximum three stars for its performance, which included everything from waiting times to cleanliness, and Southend was awarded two stars.

Published Monday, April 7 , 2003

Brought to you by the Evening Echo

Brought to you by the Evening Echo