The district's two hospital trusts have been selected to take part in a prestigious scheme which could cut death rates and reduce medication errors.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Airedale NHS Trust will work in partnership to try to make significant improvements to patient safety as part of the Safer Patients Initiative (SPI), which is run by the Health Foundation.

The foundation is an independent charity which spends £20million a year to improve health care services.

Bradford and Airedale Trusts will receive £165,000 each to take part in the programme which will see them working over the next two years to drive forward improvements so that medical mistakes are more difficult to make. Trusts which have taken part in the scheme since 2004 have seen medication errors reduced and death rates improved.

The Trusts will use the money and support to find ways of making care safer in three areas:

  • on the wards
  • before, during and after operations
  • in critical care
In each of these settings staff will look at ways to improve infection control, the management of drugs, and communication between staff teams and patients.

Professor John Wright, director of research and development at Bradford Teaching Hospitals, said: "This is a hugely exciting opportunity for both hospitals.

"It will allow Bradford Teaching Hospitals and Airedale NHS Trust to develop their recent safety programmes to become two of the safest hospitals in the country.

"We will be able to work with international experts to implement the latest ideas for best hospital practice."

Adam Cairns, Airedale NHS Trust chief executive, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for us and we are delighted to have been selected with Bradford for this award amongst tough competition from other hospitals.

"I have often said that as local hospitals patient safety is our utmost priority and I believe we were selected for this award because of our real commitment to that.

"This is really positive news for our patients and staff. We want to keep raising the quality and safety of our care and keep reinvesting in services for the benefit of our communities."

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust has also been selected to take part in the scheme.

e-mail: claire.lomax @bradford.newsquest.co.uk