Summary Hospital-Level Mortality Indicator (SHMI)

Identifying Attributes

Care Settings
Hospital Care
Country
England
Publishing Organisation
National Health Service (NHS) England
Type of Quality Indicator
Outcome
IOM Quality Dimension
Safety
Domain
Mortality

Defining Attributes

Definition

The ratio between the actual number of patients who die following hospitalisation at the trust and the number that would be expected to die on the basis of average England figures, given the characteristics of the patients treated there.

Numerator
Denominator
Exclusions

Excludes independent sector providers, mental health trusts, community trusts and specialist trusts.

Use of Risk Adjustment
Yes
Risk Adjustments

See detailed specifications for risk adjustment: files.digital.nhs.uk/09/DEA3EE/SHMI%20specification%20v1.52.pdf

Stratifications

By trust (provider) level.

Collection and Reporting Attributes

Type of Data Collection
Administrative data
Data Collection Methods

Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), HES linked to Office for National Statistics (HES-ONS) mortality dataset, Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Organisation Data Service (ODS), Care Quality Commission (CQC)

Frequency of Data Collection
Monthly
Frequency of Data Collection in Days
30
Reporting Methods

NHS Website

Reporting Frequency
Monthly
Reporting Frequency in Days
30
Indicator Has Recommended Targets
No

Source and Reference Attributes

Link to Measurement Tools
Quality Indicator Confirmed to be Part of a Program Used to Monitor Quality and Safety of Care Among Older People at a Population-Level between 2012-2022
Yes
Assessed by the Australian Consortium for Aged Care Collaborators as Generally Containing Good Properties (Importance and Scientific Acceptability)
No
Australian Consortium for Aged Care Endorsed
No
Identified by PHARMA-Care Project
No
Upload Date
02 December 2025