BMJ  2005;330:43-44 (1 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7481.43-c

Letter

Paediatric cardiac surgical mortality after Bristol

Paediatric cardiac hospital episode statistics are unreliable

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—The lack of accuracy of the hospital episode statistics used by Aylin et al to analyse the paediatric cardiac surgical mortality in England after Bristol is worrying.1 Indeed, Aylin's group reported that hospital episode statistics "manifestly contain errors" and that their available data sources "have such clear limitations that one could ask whether any reliable conclusions can be drawn."2 We have also shown hospital episode statistics data to be inaccurate for this complex specialty.3

This latest study raises more concerns about hospital episode statistics data, showing that errors are not consistent across the country.1 A centre with a high proportion of outcome returns from hospital episode statistics (Oxford, for example) would almost inevitably identify more deaths than one with low returns, potentially giving a false impression of relative surgical performance.

The central cardiac audit database collects, validates, and analyses data from all UK paediatric cardiac units, centrally tracking . . . [Full text of this article]

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John L Gibbs, lead clinician for congenital heart disease, central cardiac audit database

jgibbs@boltblue.com Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds LS1 3EX

David Cunningham, project manager, central cardiac audit database

National Clinic Audit Support Programme, NHS Information Authority, Tavistock House, London WC1H 9JR

Marc de Leval, professor of cardiac surgery

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH

James Monro, consultant cardiac surgeon

Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD

Bruce Keogh, professor of cardiac surgery

University College Hospital, London


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