Are We Really More Likely to Die at the Weekend in the NHS?

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Northerner

Northerner

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For several months now, the political fight between NHS junior doctors and the Department of Health has been filling our papers and newsfeeds. The health secretary, Jeremy Hunt proposes to change the contracts of junior doctors in order to have the same junior doctor hospital cover at weekends as on weekdays. However, the doctors say that the contract will force doctors to work even longer and more unsociable hours, which will compromise patient safety. This has led thousands of doctors onto the streets in protest, and the next day of industrial strike action planned for Wednesday 10 February, 2016.

So why is Hunt still not willing to change the proposed contract? The justification given by him and the prime minister is that their aim is to try to fix a serious problem: NHS patients are more likely to die on weekends than on weekdays.

The question is, is this true? Are we really more likely to die at the weekend in the NHS?

There are two main studies that are repeatedly quoted by Hunt and his government colleagues- one looking at overall death rates, and one looking specifically at stroke patients. But is Hunt's analysis of the data valid?

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/benjamin-chang/weekend-nhs_b_9193220.html
 
Apparently not! - he extrapolated the info inappropriately and whoever it was that supplied the figures told him - and then complained - that he was inventing stuff that wasn't there!
 
trophywench said:
Apparently not! - he extrapolated the info inappropriately and whoever it was that supplied the figures told him - and then complained - that he was inventing stuff that wasn't there!
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This is why his argument fails completely in my eyes - his assertions have been exposed as a cynical manipulation of data, and has been discredited, so why should anyone believe a word he says? 😡 :( It's surely obvious to anyone that you can't stretch already overstretched resources just by changing a contract - he could promise them a million pounds an hour, but people can only work so many hours - you need more people! 🙄
 
Well perhaps they ought to just all go off sick - with stress - on the same day?

As long as their GPs all agree of course!
 
trophywench said:
Well perhaps they ought to just all go off sick - with stress - on the same day?

As long as their GPs all agree of course!
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They'd probably need to book appointments to see their GPs at least two weeks ahead... 🙄
 
My dad was a doctor and he always used to say don't go into hospital on a weekend or (especially) a bank holiday!o_O
 
Bloden said:
Scary stuff!😱😛
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Not as scary as it would be now - I was fortunate to be diagnosed in 2008 before the Tories got the chance to interfere in the NHS! 🙂 I couldn't have been more impressed by the number and quality of the staff that dealt with me that week 🙂
 
My dad has been admitted to hospital today for emergency quadruple heart bypass surgery. Am presuming they will be waiting until Monday...
 
stephknits said:
My dad has been admitted to hospital today for emergency quadruple heart bypass surgery. Am presuming they will be waiting until Monday...
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Oh dear, Steph. I hope everything goes well. Sending you and your family (((hugs))).
 
Northerner said:
Not as scary as it would be now - I was fortunate to be diagnosed in 2008 before the Tories got the chance to interfere in the NHS! 🙂 I couldn't have been more impressed by the number and quality of the staff that dealt with me that week 🙂
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Same year for me. And everyone in San Agustín hospital, Avilés was fab (hope they're listening!).
 
Thanks Bloden and Northerner. We seem to be having all the luck this year. This will be the third major surgery in the family this year, if you count the cat! Am hoping these days this is not as scary as it sounds. I have had lots of positive stories from most people, although when I explained that my dad had gone for a routine test and then been immediately admitted someone at work told me their friend had gone in for a routine test and died that same day. He then went on to tell me how much he regretted not seeing him one last time etc. not really what I wanted to hear!
 
stephknits said:
Thanks Bloden and Northerner. We seem to be having all the luck this year. This will be the third major surgery in the family this year, if you count the cat! Am hoping these days this is not as scary as it sounds. I have had lots of positive stories from most people, although when I explained that my dad had gone for a routine test and then been immediately admitted someone at work told me their friend had gone in for a routine test and died that same day. He then went on to tell me how much he regretted not seeing him one last time etc. not really what I wanted to hear!
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Gawd! Who are these people (that go around telling negative tales)? That's some major putting your foot in it! Sorry you had to endure their insensitivity, Steph. Keep us posted about your dad's progress.😳🙂
 
The BBC Radio 4 programme More Or Less talked about this. They said weekend admissions tend to be emergencies. Routine appointments/admissions are in the week. Therefore, the people admitted at the weekend might be sicker and more likely to die despite the care they get.
 
stephknits, I've been in several times in the last 15 months, emergency and routine, and I'm still around (with all my bits intact) to talk about it.
 
Yeah - and of course they will be running all sorts of tests and want to supervise the Nil by mouth etc before he actually has his op, so I'm quite happy it seems to be 'planned' Steph!

Pete was in the 'cardio-thoracic' ward at Cov hospital when he broke a load of ribs and had a collapsed lung - and the care in there was brill. He was permanently situated right opposite the nursing station in a bay of 4 beds where the other patients were all heart surgeries. The Cardiac ICU was directly behind the nursing station so they had their ops, went into the dedicated ICU, spent a day or two in there, then out into Pete's bay together with the half a dozen machines they were hooked up to. They didn't communicate too much, prone in bed, pretty sedated. Next day, most of the machines were disconnected and were removed. They sat up a bit and started to communicate with their fellow patients. Next day, they'd be chatting away, joking and fully sat up all day except when one of the beady eyed nurses decided they needed to rest, when their bedheads were lowered and their bedfellows were told to shut up, LOL.

Following day, they moved into the next bay. Finally after a few more days they would progress to the bay at the opposite end of the ward, from whence they were discharged - and would walk back up the ward and say 'Bye!' to Pete! Most of them had had various multiples of By-pass, and looked 'in ruddy good health' by that time.

The machines are a bit scary to look at - but being curious I would have liked to know what they were all for, but couldn't really ask as it was nowt to do with any of us. More because of all the wires and tubes and things - but some are just drips, and blood oxygen monitors and BP monitors, routine stuff like that - just there seems a lot of them.

My cousin had a quad bypass - as a emergency! (he collapsed loading his BBC Outside Broadcast sound equipment back in his car after some prog they'd done at Warwick Hosp and an ambulance man noticed him so went to his assistance!) - when he was 42 and he was 68 I think just before Xmas after a full working life (sound recording for TV progs) and regular forays here there and everywhere else on one of his motorbikes. So I really don't think it's the end of life as we know it - in fact quite the opposite!

So Good luck to your dad - and I think he should be fine.
 
Thanks so much Trophywench, my dad is in the cardiac unit at Coventry hospital! I am sure he will be fine and life afterwards will be a big improvement for him.
 
I thought the cardiac units in my area are very good. And the food was better.
 
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