'Concerns' over deaths at Dudley hospital A&E

A team made up of four clinicians carried out the investigation in the emergency department

An inquiry into deaths in an emergency department found eight cases which raised concerns.

The trust which runs Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital commissioned a report after a watchdog launched its own inquiry into deaths there.

Delays in diagnosis, errors in assessment and safeguarding were some of the concerns.

The trust said it will look into the possible care "deficiencies" and said it is committed to making improvements.

• Latest news and updates from the West Midlands

Professor Mike Bewick led the review which looked into 229 deaths in the emergency department from 2016.

"We recognised eight cases out of the 229 deaths where we had concerns over the care delivered during their time in the department," a report said.

Details of each case have not been published to "protect the identities of those affected" according to the report.

However, issues of delays in diagnosis, errors in assessment and safeguarding were some of the themes of the cases.

Diane Wake, chief executive of the trust said the trust must learn from the deaths

Now, "full expert reviews" will be carried out in each of the eight cases while the emergency department has been told to improve its assessment of patients.

"We are absolutely committed to delivering the very best care to our patients", Diane Wake, the chief executive of The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust said.