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Drakeford dismisses Welsh hospitals' death rates inquiry call Drakeford dismisses Welsh hospitals' death rates inquiry call
(about 11 hours later)
Health minister Mark Drakeford has dismissed Conservative calls for an inquiry into death rates at Welsh hospitals as a "nonsensical trap". Health Minister Mark Drakeford has dismissed Conservative calls for an inquiry into death rates at Welsh hospitals as a "nonsensical trap".
It comes after the medical director of the NHS in England suggested the rates were worrying and should be probed.It comes after the medical director of the NHS in England suggested the rates were worrying and should be probed.
The minister ruled out an inquiry claiming the call was a "concerted politically motivated" attempt to "drag the Welsh NHS through the mud". Mr Drakeford ruled out an inquiry claiming the call was a politically motivated attempt to "drag the Welsh NHS through the mud".
The Conservative Party has been asked to respond. He said data for England and Wales could not be compared.
The statistics are part of a drive to make the NHS more transparent in the wake of the Stafford Hospital scandal.
Neglect and abuse at Stafford Hospital led to hundreds of unnecessary deaths between 2005 and 2008 and prompted a public inquiry.
Speaking to BBC Wales, Mr Drakeford said he was "coldly furious" about the way an email Sir Bruce Keogh had sent his NHS Wales equivalent, Dr Chris Jones, was being used.Speaking to BBC Wales, Mr Drakeford said he was "coldly furious" about the way an email Sir Bruce Keogh had sent his NHS Wales equivalent, Dr Chris Jones, was being used.
In the email, sent in November but now released under the Freedom of Information Act, Sir Bruce said persistently high death rates in Welsh hospitals should be investigated.In the email, sent in November but now released under the Freedom of Information Act, Sir Bruce said persistently high death rates in Welsh hospitals should be investigated.
Sir Bruce said data on rates in six Welsh hospitals was worrying, but not adequate to "form a view". Sir Bruce said data on rates in six Welsh hospitals was worrying, but not adequate to form a view.
The Welsh government said data for England and Wales cannot be compared. Sir Bruce and Dr Jones have met since the e-mail was sent but the outcome of that meeting is unknown.
Mr Drakeford said he had "no quarrel" with the email sent by the most senior doctor in England's NHS to his Welsh equivalent.Mr Drakeford said he had "no quarrel" with the email sent by the most senior doctor in England's NHS to his Welsh equivalent.
He went on; "But the use that has been made of that email today makes me coldly furious. He went on: "But the use that has been made of that email today makes me coldly furious.
'Utter shambles'Utter shambles
"It is the concerted political attempt by the Conservative Party in London to drag the Welsh NHS through the mud which is absolutely unacceptable to me."It is the concerted political attempt by the Conservative Party in London to drag the Welsh NHS through the mud which is absolutely unacceptable to me.
"All they are interested in doing is trying to divert attention from the utter shambles that is the English NHS by trying to pretend that things in Wales are worse."All they are interested in doing is trying to divert attention from the utter shambles that is the English NHS by trying to pretend that things in Wales are worse.
"They are not and we will not fall into that kind of nonsensical trap.""They are not and we will not fall into that kind of nonsensical trap."
Mr Drakeford insisted the quarterly trend showed that things were getting better in Wales' NHS.Mr Drakeford insisted the quarterly trend showed that things were getting better in Wales' NHS.
Sir Bruce's email came amid heightened tensions between the governments in London and Cardiff Bay over the performance of the Welsh NHS.Sir Bruce's email came amid heightened tensions between the governments in London and Cardiff Bay over the performance of the Welsh NHS.
Prime Minister David Cameron has repeatedly criticised the performance of the Welsh NHS and the Labour administration in Cardiff Bay during Prime Minister's Questions.Prime Minister David Cameron has repeatedly criticised the performance of the Welsh NHS and the Labour administration in Cardiff Bay during Prime Minister's Questions.
'Scrutiny'
Statistics published last year by the Welsh government showed 11 out of 17 district general hospitals in Wales had higher death rates than should be expected.Statistics published last year by the Welsh government showed 11 out of 17 district general hospitals in Wales had higher death rates than should be expected.
Officials described the findings as a "fire alarm" but they warned that there were major problems with the way the data was collected.Officials described the findings as a "fire alarm" but they warned that there were major problems with the way the data was collected.
More updated statistics now show the figure is down to eight.
On Thursday, Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies, said: "The concerns raised in this e-mail confirm our serious worries over standards of care in the NHS.
"Professor Keogh's recommendation of 'investigation' into mortality rates should be immediately undertaken and no longer ignored."
The Welsh NHS has faced problems recently with key targets for A&E missed since 2009, ambulance response time targets hit once since May 2012 and a rise in people waiting more than nine months for their first hospital appointment.The Welsh NHS has faced problems recently with key targets for A&E missed since 2009, ambulance response time targets hit once since May 2012 and a rise in people waiting more than nine months for their first hospital appointment.
A Welsh government spokesperson said: "The NHS in Wales is open, transparent and has a higher level of scrutiny than any other part of the UK.A Welsh government spokesperson said: "The NHS in Wales is open, transparent and has a higher level of scrutiny than any other part of the UK.
"Mortality rates in Wales are published on a quarterly basis and latest figures demonstrate clear improvement."Mortality rates in Wales are published on a quarterly basis and latest figures demonstrate clear improvement.
"The points raised by Sir Bruce were discussed with him at a meeting with Dr Chris Jones on December 10th," said the Welsh government. "The points raised by Sir Bruce were discussed with him at a meeting with Dr Chris Jones on December 10th."
The Conservative Party has been asked to respond to Mr Drakeford's comments.