Pneumonia deaths higher than any other condition at Sherwood Forest Hospitals

More people died after being admitted to Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust with pneumonia than any other condition, figures reveal.
King's Mill Hospital, Sutton.King's Mill Hospital, Sutton.
King's Mill Hospital, Sutton.

New NHS data shows 315 people died after getting the infection, in which lung tissue becomes inflamed and fills with fluid, throughout 2018.

It means that, of the 1,950 deaths over the year in the trust's hospitals, or up to 30 days after patients were discharged, 16 per cent were linked to a diagnosis of pneumonia.

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The British Lung Foundation said that between five and 11 adults in every 100,000 get pneumonia each year in the UK, with over-65s particularly vulnerable.

King's Mill Hospital, Sutton.King's Mill Hospital, Sutton.
King's Mill Hospital, Sutton.

And bosses at Sherwood Forest Hospitals say that treating the condition is "particularly important" because of the area's industrial history and " higher than average rate of respiratory disease" among residents.

Andy Haynes, trust medical director, said: "Sherwood Forest Hospitals' pneumonia mortality is within the expected range for the population, with the trust continuing to have good clinical pathways for diagnosing and treating pneumonia within the hospital.

"We also have strong relationships with our community health partners to ensure that the area has a high vaccination rate for seasonal flu and pneumococcus.

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"It is worth noting that there is a higher than average rate of respiratory disease within our local population due to it being an old mining and industrial area, which often correlates with lung disease and health problems such as pneumonia.

"The flu season also impacts on deaths from pneumonia, which is why we work so hard to protect our patients, staff and visitors from flu by encouraging them to get the flu vaccine to help protect themselves and others.

“Sherwood Forest Hospitals has dedicated respiratory wards and we remain committed to diagnosing and treating our patients with pneumonia as quickly as possible when they are in our care.”

The picture at Sherwood Forest Hospitals is reflected across England, where more people died after being diagnosed with pneumonia than any other condition.

Across England, around 15 per cent of the 293,000 patients who died last year were initially diagnosed with the condition.

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