Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Doctors and nurses could have their contracts rewritten to improve the standard of care in hospitals at weekends.
Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, said that changes need to be made to ensure that patients enjoy the same level of care "regardless of the day of the week".
At present, the contracts of many doctors and nurses do not say they are required to work at weekends, which are considered overtime.
The lack of staff on Saturdays and Sundays has been linked to higher death rates and other complications at NHS hospitals at weekends.
Research last year found that 4,400 people die every year due to inadequate staff cover at weekends.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/11065072/Doctors-and-nurses-encouraged-to-work-weekends.html
Quite. Hunt is forever coming up with bright ideas that are unworkable given the squeeze on funding. And where, exactly, does he expect the extra 40% of workforce are going to appear from, even if the money could be found? Cloud Cuckoo Land? 🙄 They're already leaving in droves, or retiring earlier.
Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, said that changes need to be made to ensure that patients enjoy the same level of care "regardless of the day of the week".
At present, the contracts of many doctors and nurses do not say they are required to work at weekends, which are considered overtime.
The lack of staff on Saturdays and Sundays has been linked to higher death rates and other complications at NHS hospitals at weekends.
Research last year found that 4,400 people die every year due to inadequate staff cover at weekends.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/11065072/Doctors-and-nurses-encouraged-to-work-weekends.html
Quite. Hunt is forever coming up with bright ideas that are unworkable given the squeeze on funding. And where, exactly, does he expect the extra 40% of workforce are going to appear from, even if the money could be found? Cloud Cuckoo Land? 🙄 They're already leaving in droves, or retiring earlier.