NORTH Essex health bosses have described figures showing a huge number of unexplained deaths as a statistical anomaly.

A Freedom of Information request revealed there were 68 “unexpected deaths” between January 2009 and May 2010 in the area covered by NHS North East Essex - effectively Colchester and Tendring districts.

But the trust says 63 of those were patients of the region’s mental health trust, which covers much of Essex.

Sarah Jane Relf, interim director of clinical quality at NHS North East Essex, said the method of recording figures was changed last October.

She said: “There has been some confusion over the way unexpected deaths have been recorded in the past.

“During the period in question, 63 of the unexpected deaths attributed to NHS North East Essex were actually unexpected deaths reported by the North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, the mental health trust which covers three primary care trusts across north Essex.

“The fact that all 63 cases reported by the North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust for the whole area it covers were assigned to NHS North East Essex and none to the other two primary care trusts has skewed our statistics and gives a misleading impression.”