The chief executive of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust has been forced to issue a statement of reassurance in response to an article in a trade magazine which questioned its patient safety record.

The Health Service Journal (HSJ) analysed data submitted by the Trust, and other Trusts across the country, to reveal patients were suffering avoidable harm during their care at some trusts, including Airedale.

However, the data on the number of patients acquiring a VTE – venous thromboembolism – while under the care of Airedale Hospital , was incorrect.

The data was submitted by Airedale NHS Foundation Trust as part of the NHS Safety Thermometer, a tool used for measuring, monitoring and analysing patient harm and ‘harm-free’ care.

Bridget Fletcher, chief executive of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, issued a statement to reassure patients, staff and commissioners, that safety remains a top priority for the trust.

She said: “The data in the HSJ article was taken from our July safety thermometer submission. This was our first submission of this new information and we now realise it included an error in the VTE data we provided following a misinterpretation of the definition relating to the ‘new other’ category. As a result, the percentage of patients who appeared to have acquired a VTE under our care was wrong and not the actual position.

“The data will be resubmitted in September (in accordance with the Information Centre’s protocol for data resubmission) and the correct information shows the percentage VTE for Airedale improves from 12.9 per cent to 1.3 per cent for July, giving an overall harm-free rating of 90.26 per cent, much-improved on the 79.5 per cent position previously stated. The data for August, submitted earlier this month, reports VTE at 0.67 per cent with an overall harm-free rating of 92.28 per cent.

“We would like to reassure all our patients, members of the public and commissioners that patient safety is one of our top priorities and we apologise if this inaccurate data has caused any unnecessary alarm or concern.

“This Foundation Trust welcomes the introduction of the NHS Safety Thermometer, which we believe will help us benchmark and seek out best practice so we can further improve.

“We are never complacent about patient safety and always seek to provide the highest-quality care and strive for improvements wherever possible. Airedale NHS Foundation Trust has an excellent record for patient safety, as recognised by independent analysis of all hospitals by CHKS when we were awarded the patient safety award for 2012.”