National Audit of Hospital Mortality Annual Report 2018

This is the fourth National Audit of Hospital Mortality Annual Report. It provides mortality information across six key diagnoses: acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart failure, ischaemic stroke, haemorrhagic stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pneumonia. These diagnoses were chosen based on clinical and methodological selection criteria in order to ensure a focus on quality, safety and improvement in acute hospital care; hospitals can also view all diagnoses locally via the National Quality Assurance Improvement System, National Audit of Hospital Mortality (NQAIS NAHM) web-based tool. The purpose of this report is to provide patients, families, the public and the wider health system with details of national hospital mortality, and to assure them that hospitals are continually monitoring patient mortality locally. This report outlines how the audit is used by hospitals and how the National Office of Clinical Audit (NOCA) engages with hospitals.