Hospital patients die each month from avoidable kidney problems

Posted 21/04/2014

The Guardian reported today that at least 1,000 hospital patients in England die each month from avoidable kidney problems, according to a study commissioned by the NHS.

Researchers found that 15,000-40,000 excess deaths every year are caused by acute kidney injury (AKI), which causes a loss of kidney function and can develop very quickly. It can occur in people who are already ill with conditions such as heart failure or diabetes and those admitted to hospital with infections. Severe dehydration is one of the main causes of the condition. AKI costs the health service more than £1bn every year, according to a study commissioned by NHS Improving Quality.

A spokesman for NHS England has commented that coherent long-term plans have been put in place to reduce avoidable deaths in hospitals.

Sophie Bales, a medical injury solicitor at Ashtons Legal comments:

“It is unacceptable that so many patients are dying each month from avoidable kidney problems, often as a result of a failure to provide basic care. This is also costly to the NHS and therefore preventing money being put to good use elsewhere.

We are often approached by patients or their families, complaining of poor care in hospital including patients not being fed and watered adequately. It is imperative that long term measures are put in place to improve basic care in hospitals and prevent avoidable deaths.”