Every month from now on the Trust will be promoting a key theme on our Care of the Acutely Ill programme.

The first is Understanding Mortality. All Trusts are expected to review adult deaths to see if there is learning to improve care. The Trust currently has a higher than predicted national standardised mortality rate and we are working to reduce this. Another priority is to ensure patients at the end of their lives are cared for in their preferred environment and we are working to help them stay at home and avoid coming into hospital where it is their preference.

We are currently reviewing all deaths and this must continue. All comorbidities must be included on the case notes and DNACPR decisions should be discussed with a patient if this is not possible with relatives and carers.

Associate Medical Director, Dr Alex Hamilton, said: "Mortality Case Note Review has come to be recognised as the gold standard method by which avoidable causes of death can be identified and clinical care improved. In CHFT we are committed to improving outcomes for patients in every way we can."