Safety programme sees Scots hospital deaths fall THE number of people dying within a month of being admitted to hospital has fallen to its lowest level since a patient safety programme was introduced. There has been a 15.9 per cent reduction in hospital mortality within 30 days of patient admission between October-December 2007 and April-June 2014. The Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP), introduced in 2008, aims to reduce hospital mortality by 20 per cent by December 2015. Health Secretary Alex Neil said: "It is very welcome news that the number of people who are dying in hospital has fallen so dramatically - especially at a time when our NHS is treating more people than ever before. The 15.9 per cent drop tells us just how much the picture has improved in seven years and is one of the reasons Scotland is emerging as a world-leader in delivering effective and safe care for patients. Scotland's NHS has much to be proud of - from building services around patient's experiences to delivering healthcare that improves the lives of patients. Thirty of the 31 hospitals participating in the SPSP have shown a reduction in mortality ratios since October-December 2007. "The drop in mortality rates across Scotland's hospitals is one area where Scotland is particularly forging ahead and it means that lives have and are being saved every day," Mr Neil said. Frontline staff should be rightly proud of what they have enabled our NHS to achieve. I would like to thank them for the professionalism, dedication and commitment they have shown to the patient safety programme - which has delivered such positive results.