Outstanding results for hip fracture care at Horton General Hospital

The hip fracture team at the Horton General Hospital – part of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – is once again celebrating national recognition for delivering some of the best patient outcomes in the UK, according to the latest National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD) Annual Report.

The report, which covers data from January to December 2024 and includes contributions from 174 hospitals across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, highlights the Horton team’s exceptional and consistent performance across a range of key indicators.

For the thirteenth consecutive year, the Horton General Hospital has ranked in the top five hospitals nationally for achieving the Best Practice Tariff (BPT) – a quality-based benchmark for hip fracture care. In 2024, 87.3% of Horton’s hip fracture patients met all BPT criteria, significantly higher than the national average of 48.8%.

The hospital’s 30-day adjusted mortality rate continues to be better than the national average – 4.4% compared to the national 6% – reflecting high-quality, timely, and effective care.

Patients at Horton also benefit from shorter hospital stays, with an average length of stay of 16.2 days (national average 20.2 days). Additionally, 77.4% of patients were discharged from hospital within 120 days, exceeding the national rate of 74.1%.

The Horton team performed strongly across several additional categories, including:

•    Assessed by a senior geriatrician within 72 hours – 99.5% (national: 88.6%)
•    Surgery by the day after admission – 87.8% (national: 58.3%)
•    Received bone-strengthening medication – 95.2% (national: 84.4%)
•    Surgery led by a Consultant Surgeon and Anaesthetist - 87.3% (national: 65.2%)
•    No reoperation within 120 days in 97.8% of cases (national: 36.8%)

While mobilisation on the day after surgery remains slightly below the national average (76.2% vs 82.1%), the team is committed to early recovery and rehabilitation.

Angela Kannan, Consultant Orthogeriatrician at OUH, said: “These outstanding results are a testament to the hard work, dedication, and close collaboration of our multidisciplinary team – from Emergency Department staff and orthopaedic surgeons to geriatricians, anaesthetists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and ward nurses.

“We are proud to deliver care that consistently places us among the very best in the country, and very thankful for our staff who make this happen year after year.”

Felicity Taylor-Drewe, Chief Operating Officer at OUH, said: “Once again, the Horton General Hospital hip fracture team has demonstrated what can be achieved through a patient-centred, team-based approach – they know what works and are committed to delivering it time after time. These results reflect this, as well as their extremely high levels of care for some of our most vulnerable patients.”

The full NHFD Annual Report 2025 is available on the National Hip Fracture Database website.