More than 90% of deaths followed emergency admissions

There was a sharp drop in deaths due to a lack of access to high-dependency or intensive therapy unit beds.

But the figures identified a rise in the number of frail elderly people who died after being admitted to hospital for emergency treatment last year.

The Scottish Audit of Surgical Mortality (SASM) report was hailed by Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm.

He said: "The report shows that the number of patients who died while in surgical care has fallen again, including a further substantial reduction in the number of patients who died through a lack of access to high-dependency or intensive therapy unit beds.

"The report also highlights the growing issue with the pattern of care of an increasingly ageing and frail population within surgical wards."

Consultants themselves have called for patients to have access to figures about the doctors that will treat them Shona Robison SNP health spokeswoman

The report identifies all deaths in hospital under a surgeon's care, whether or not an operation has taken place.

The number of reported deaths has fallen from 4,493 in 2001 to 4,449 in 2002.

Patient deaths in surgical care reached a high of 4,579 in 1996.

More than 90% of the deaths last year followed emergency admissions.

The report said the number of deaths following pre-planned, or elective, surgery was also continuing to fall.

The number of deaths associated with the non-availability or failure to use intensive care or high dependency units has fallen from 113 to 21 in the space of two years.

Death rates

Scottish National Party health spokeswoman Shona Robison said the fall in surgical deaths was good news.

She argued that the publication of success rate statistics should be taken "to the next level".

"Consultants themselves have called for patients to have access to figures about the doctors that will treat them," she said.