Key Facts
In the period from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014:
• 9 trusts had a 'higher than expected' SHMI value, compared to 7 trusts for the same period a year previously
• 17 trusts had a 'lower than expected' SHMI value, the same number of trusts as for the same period a year previously
• 115 trusts had an 'as expected' SHMI value, compared to 118 trusts for the same period a year previously
Notes:
1. There is a shortfall in the number of records in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data which has been used to produce the October 2014 SHMI publication (covering the reporting period April 2013 - March 2014) for the following trusts: South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust (provider code RJC), Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (provider code RK5), The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust (provider code RKE) and Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust (provider code RNS). Further details are provided in the corresponding HES Admitted Patient Care data quality notes (see Related Links). This has a negligible impact on the SHMI at national level. However, the SHMI values for the affected trusts will be based on incomplete data and should therefore be interpreted with caution.
2. Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust (RVL) became part of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (RAL) on 1st July 2014. However, as this change occurred after data processing for the October 2014 SHMI publication began, two separate indicator values for these trusts have been produced for this publication. From the January 2015 SHMI publication onwards a single SHMI value will be reported for the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (RAL) using combined data submitted by both trusts.
The London North West Healthcare NHS Trust (R1K) was established on 1st October 2014 following the closure of Ealing Hospital NHS Trust (RC3) and North West London Hospitals NHS Trust (RV8). Two separate indicator values for these closed trusts have been produced for this publication. From the January 2015 SHMI publication onwards a single SHMI value will be reported for the London North West Healthcare NHS Trust (R1K) using combined data submitted by both trusts.
Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (RD7) became part of Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RDU) on 1st October 2014. Two separate indicator values for these trusts have been produced for this publication. From the January 2015 SHMI publication onwards a single SHMI value will be reported for Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (RDU) using combined data from both trusts.
3. Following the closure of South London Healthcare NHS Trust (RYQ) on 30 September 2013, the activity previously undertaken by this trust has now transferred to the following three trusts: King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RJZ), Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (RJ2) and Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust (RPG). King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RJZ) and Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (RJ2) are reported in the SHMI. However, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust (RPG) is a community trust and is therefore excluded from the SHMI.
As part of the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data cleaning processes, checks are carried out to ensure that all records have a trust code which is open and valid using reference data supplied by the Organisation Data Service (ODS). South London Healthcare NHS Trust (RYQ) is now listed as a closed trust by ODS. Therefore, all activity previously submitted by South London Healthcare NHS Trust (RYQ) for the financial year 2013-14 has not been included in the provisional 2013-14 HES data from the month 8 publication onwards. Further details are provided in the corresponding HES Admitted Patient Care data quality notes (see Related Links). The HSCIC's HES data quality team and ODS are working to implement rules to map the activity for closed organisations to the responsible providers as part of the HES data cleaning processes prior to the publication of finalised HES data for 2013-14.
This has a negligible impact on the SHMI at national level. However, because the SHMI is published to be reflective of current organisational structures, the SHMI values for King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RJZ) and Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (RJ2) will be based on incomplete data and should therefore be interpreted with caution.
4. It has come to our attention that there may be several trusts who are unable to record still births with a discharge method of 'Baby was still born' on their patient administration system (PAS) and are instead coding these records with a discharge method of 'Died'. This means that such records will be included in the calculation of the SHMI where they should have been excluded. We are currently reviewing this issue with initial investigations suggesting that the impact on the overall SHMI value for affected trusts is small.
5. The HSCIC is aware that there may be an impact of the present SHMI methodology on the SHMI value for integrated acute and community trusts. This is because activity from both acute and community sites at integrated trusts is included in the calculation of the SHMI, while activity from trusts which only provide community services is excluded. The HSCIC is investigating ways in which community activity for integrated trusts can be identified in the underlying data set and will continue to review this issue with the SHMI Technical Working Group.
6. The total number of trusts has decreased by one from the same period a year previously due to the closure of trust RYQ - South London Healthcare NHS Trust.
