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Doctors ask Cabinet Office to investigate Jeremy Hunt's patient deaths comments Doctors ask Cabinet Office to investigate Jeremy Hunt's patient deaths comments
(about 2 hours later)
Doctors have asked a Whitehall watchdog to investigate Jeremy Hunt’s claim that 11,000 patients a year die after being admitted to hospital at the weekend because too few medics are on duty.Doctors have asked a Whitehall watchdog to investigate Jeremy Hunt’s claim that 11,000 patients a year die after being admitted to hospital at the weekend because too few medics are on duty.
Two doctors, who represent around 3,380 other doctors, have complained to the Cabinet Office about Hunt’s claim, which he is using to justify both imposing a new contract on junior doctors and turning the NHS into a seven-day service.Two doctors, who represent around 3,380 other doctors, have complained to the Cabinet Office about Hunt’s claim, which he is using to justify both imposing a new contract on junior doctors and turning the NHS into a seven-day service.
Their move comes as acute medical doctors, who care for some of the sickest patients in hospital, claim that forcing NHS England’s 53,000 junior doctors to accept inferior terms and conditions would have a catastrophic effect on the NHS by producing the biggest recruitment crisis the service has ever encountered.Their move comes as acute medical doctors, who care for some of the sickest patients in hospital, claim that forcing NHS England’s 53,000 junior doctors to accept inferior terms and conditions would have a catastrophic effect on the NHS by producing the biggest recruitment crisis the service has ever encountered.
In their complaint, Dr Antonio de Marvao and Dr Palak J Trivedi, both academic clinical lecturers, claim the health secretary has breached the ministerial code of conduct by misleading MPs and misrepresenting official statistics through his allegedly misleading use of the 11,000 figure, about which he has been “not accurate or truthful”. Their letter is co-signed by thousands of fellow doctors and medical students.In their complaint, Dr Antonio de Marvao and Dr Palak J Trivedi, both academic clinical lecturers, claim the health secretary has breached the ministerial code of conduct by misleading MPs and misrepresenting official statistics through his allegedly misleading use of the 11,000 figure, about which he has been “not accurate or truthful”. Their letter is co-signed by thousands of fellow doctors and medical students.
Related: Junior doctors demand more concessions from Jeremy HuntRelated: Junior doctors demand more concessions from Jeremy Hunt
The statistic has become an important – though disputed – piece of evidence because Hunt has been using it in the House of Commons, interviews and Department of Health responses to media inquiries about the junior doctors dispute.The statistic has become an important – though disputed – piece of evidence because Hunt has been using it in the House of Commons, interviews and Department of Health responses to media inquiries about the junior doctors dispute.
But doctors claim that Hunt has deliberately and knowingly misquoted and misrepresented the conclusions of the British Medical Journal study, published last month, which first came up with the 11,000 figure, “in an attempt to mislead other MPs and the UK public”.But doctors claim that Hunt has deliberately and knowingly misquoted and misrepresented the conclusions of the British Medical Journal study, published last month, which first came up with the 11,000 figure, “in an attempt to mislead other MPs and the UK public”.
Their complaint cites the ministerial code of conduct’s stipulation that “ministers [must] give accurate and truthful information to parliament”. Referring to statements Hunt made at health questions in the House of Commons on Tuesday, they also claim that “in misquoting and misinterpreting the data, Hunt is not acccurate or truthful. Mr Hunt’s claim that ‘there are 11,000 excess deaths because we do not staff our hospitals properly at weekends’ is not supported by the evidence.” Their complaint cites the ministerial code of conduct’s stipulation that “ministers [must] give accurate and truthful information to parliament”. Referring to statements Hunt made at health questions in the House of Commons on Tuesday, they also claim that “in misquoting and misinterpreting the data, Hunt is not acccurate or truthful. Mr Hunt’s claim that ‘there are 11,000 excess deaths because we do not staff our hospitals properly at weekends’ is not supported by the evidence”.
They point out that the co-authors of the study, which include NHS England’s national medical director, Prof Sir Bruce Keogh, clearly warned in their paper that “it is not possible to ascertain the extent to which [of] these [11,000] deaths may be preventable; to assume they are avoidable would be rash and misleading”.They point out that the co-authors of the study, which include NHS England’s national medical director, Prof Sir Bruce Keogh, clearly warned in their paper that “it is not possible to ascertain the extent to which [of] these [11,000] deaths may be preventable; to assume they are avoidable would be rash and misleading”.
The Department of Health declined to address that point when asked to explain Hunt’s use of the 11,000 figure despite the authors’ warning against doing so.The Department of Health declined to address that point when asked to explain Hunt’s use of the 11,000 figure despite the authors’ warning against doing so.
It instead highlighted that the BMJ paper said that the finding of 11,000 excess deaths is “not otherwise ignorable”, and “raises challenging questions about reduced service provision at weekends” and also points out that “an increased proportion of higher risk patients are admitted on Saturday and Sunday, when services inside and outside the hospital are reduced”.It instead highlighted that the BMJ paper said that the finding of 11,000 excess deaths is “not otherwise ignorable”, and “raises challenging questions about reduced service provision at weekends” and also points out that “an increased proportion of higher risk patients are admitted on Saturday and Sunday, when services inside and outside the hospital are reduced”.
Related: Labour accuses Jeremy Hunt of putting patients' lives at riskRelated: Labour accuses Jeremy Hunt of putting patients' lives at risk
Hunt told MPs on Tuesday: “According to an independent study conducted by the BMJ, there are 11,000 excess deaths because we do not staff our hospitals properly at weekends. I think it is my job, and the government’s job, to deal with that, and to stand up for patients.”Hunt told MPs on Tuesday: “According to an independent study conducted by the BMJ, there are 11,000 excess deaths because we do not staff our hospitals properly at weekends. I think it is my job, and the government’s job, to deal with that, and to stand up for patients.”
The BMJ paper did highlight a lack of senior doctors and support services available in hospitals at weekends as causes of the “weekend effect”. But it also pointed out that the much greater likelihood that patients admitted at the weekend will be medical emergencies, and at higher risk of dying, were important factors too.The BMJ paper did highlight a lack of senior doctors and support services available in hospitals at weekends as causes of the “weekend effect”. But it also pointed out that the much greater likelihood that patients admitted at the weekend will be medical emergencies, and at higher risk of dying, were important factors too.
In a letter to Hunt the Society for Acute Medicine said “attempts to impose a new contract on junior doctors will have a catastrophic effect on the NHS, of which the long-term consequences will dwarf any short-term fallout” by discouraging young doctors from working in medical specialities in which antisocial hours – which would mostly no longer attract overtime pay under Hunt’s plan – are commonplace. In a letter to Hunt, the Society for Acute Medicine said “attempts to impose a new contract on junior doctors will have a catastrophic effect on the NHS, of which the long-term consequences will dwarf any short-term fallout” by discouraging young doctors from working in medical specialities in which antisocial hours – which would mostly no longer attract overtime pay under Hunt’s plan – are commonplace.
A Department of Health spokesman said: “There is clear independent clinical evidence of a weekend effect in hospitals, evidence supported by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and NHS England’s medical director, Prof Sir Bruce Keogh.A Department of Health spokesman said: “There is clear independent clinical evidence of a weekend effect in hospitals, evidence supported by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and NHS England’s medical director, Prof Sir Bruce Keogh.
“Clinical experts have said that this is likely to be a consequence of variable staffing levels, a lack of senior decision-makers and of consistent specialist services. We make no apology for committing to improve care for patients by addressing these variable outcomes throughout the week.”“Clinical experts have said that this is likely to be a consequence of variable staffing levels, a lack of senior decision-makers and of consistent specialist services. We make no apology for committing to improve care for patients by addressing these variable outcomes throughout the week.”
Heidi Alexander, the shadow health secretary, said: “Jeremy Hunt needs to tread very carefully when claiming that hospital staffing arrangements at weekends are the direct cause of 11,000 excess deaths. He should consider carefully whether his comments reflect the conclusions of the study he quotes from.”Heidi Alexander, the shadow health secretary, said: “Jeremy Hunt needs to tread very carefully when claiming that hospital staffing arrangements at weekends are the direct cause of 11,000 excess deaths. He should consider carefully whether his comments reflect the conclusions of the study he quotes from.”