Severe dehydration has caused tens of thousands of patients to die in hospital every year [GETTY]The toll – five times higher than expected – is due to avoidable kidney problems sparked by poor care.
Many of the 3,000 deaths a month are simply from patients not being given enough to drink.
The shocking report says acute kidney injury (AKI) causes between 15,000 and 40,000 excess deaths every year and costs the health service £1billion to treat.
The figure means AKI – involving sudden loss of kidney function – is responsible for eight times as many fatalities as superbug MRSA at its peak. Severe dehydration is one of the main causes.
One consultant said: “We can’t allow it to continue. Good basic care would save these lives and save millions of pounds for the NHS.”
People with conditions such as heart failure or diabetes and those admitted to hospital with infections are susceptible. AKI can also develop after major surgery.
Professor Donal O’Donoghue, consultant renal physician at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, co-authored the NHS-commissioned report along with Insight Health Economics.
These deaths are avoidable. This is completely unacceptable. Doctors and nurses need to make elementary checks
He said: “We know that at least 1,000 people a month are dying in hospital from AKI due to poor care.
“These deaths are avoidable. This is completely unacceptable. Doctors and nurses need to make elementary checks.
“In general, people who are having surgery shouldn’t be asked to go without water for longer than two hours.
“Sometimes that is unavoidable but then medical staff need to check their patients are not becoming dehydrated. They also need to be aware that some common medications increase the risk of AKI.”
Marion Kerr, health economist at Insight Health Economics, said: “AKI costs the NHS more than £1billion every year. That’s more than we spend on breast, lung and bowel cancer combined.
“Every day more than 30 people are dying needlessly. Compare that with MRSA which was killing about four people a day at its peak.
“Simple improvements in basic care could save the NHS £200million pounds a year and, more importantly, save thousands of lives.”
A spokesman for NHS England said: “We have taken steps to ensure the NHS puts in place coherent long-term plans to reduce avoidable deaths in our hospitals.”
The scandal was highlighted by The Daily Express last year when Nice guidelines were changed so all NHS staff took into account a diagnosis of AKI – not just renal units.
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