This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/oct/25/nhs-medical-director-weekend-effect-hospital-deaths

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
NHS medical director coy on 'weekend effect' of hospital deaths NHS medical director coy on 'weekend effect' of hospital deaths
(34 minutes later)
The NHS’s medical director has distanced himself from Jeremy Hunt’s controversial claim that understaffing of hospitals at weekends causes the death of 11,000 patients a year.The NHS’s medical director has distanced himself from Jeremy Hunt’s controversial claim that understaffing of hospitals at weekends causes the death of 11,000 patients a year.
Prof Sir Bruce Keogh has reiterated his view that it is not possible to say for sure how many die avoidably as a result of “the weekend effect”, which he and other experts have found.Prof Sir Bruce Keogh has reiterated his view that it is not possible to say for sure how many die avoidably as a result of “the weekend effect”, which he and other experts have found.
The health secretary is under fire for allegedly distorting the evidence on mortality related to hospital admission on a Saturday or Sunday in order to justify the government’s drive for a seven-day NHS and his contentious decision to impose a new contract on junior doctors,The health secretary is under fire for allegedly distorting the evidence on mortality related to hospital admission on a Saturday or Sunday in order to justify the government’s drive for a seven-day NHS and his contentious decision to impose a new contract on junior doctors,
He has repeatedly referred to “11,000 excess deaths” among such patients and cited a recent British Medical Journal by Keogh and colleagues as the evidence for his claim.He has repeatedly referred to “11,000 excess deaths” among such patients and cited a recent British Medical Journal by Keogh and colleagues as the evidence for his claim.
However, the editor of the BMJ has accused him of misrepresenting the study’s findings and more than 2,000 doctors have complained to the Cabinet Office about his use of the statistic, given that the paper warned that it would be “rash and misleading” to conclude how many of the 11,000 could be prevented.However, the editor of the BMJ has accused him of misrepresenting the study’s findings and more than 2,000 doctors have complained to the Cabinet Office about his use of the statistic, given that the paper warned that it would be “rash and misleading” to conclude how many of the 11,000 could be prevented.
More than 1,000 doctors have written to Keogh voicing serious concern that Hunt has “irresponsibly distorted” the research. They cite the health secretary’s recent statement in Parliament that “Every year, there are 11,000 excess deaths as a result of inadequate cover at weekends, and we do not want that to continue”, which has also prompted the referral to the Cabinet Office.More than 1,000 doctors have written to Keogh voicing serious concern that Hunt has “irresponsibly distorted” the research. They cite the health secretary’s recent statement in Parliament that “Every year, there are 11,000 excess deaths as a result of inadequate cover at weekends, and we do not want that to continue”, which has also prompted the referral to the Cabinet Office.
In his reply Keogh pointedly does not endorse Hunt’s claim. He tells the doctors: “We were very clear about [the weekend mortality rate] in the paper, where we stated, ‘It is not possible to ascertain the extent to which these excess deaths may be preventable’.”In his reply Keogh pointedly does not endorse Hunt’s claim. He tells the doctors: “We were very clear about [the weekend mortality rate] in the paper, where we stated, ‘It is not possible to ascertain the extent to which these excess deaths may be preventable’.”
The BMJ study found that the higher death rate as a result of weekend arrival closely related to the fact that patients admitted then are much more likely to be emergency cases and also to be at higher risk of dying anyway, not just lack of senior staff on duty and support services.The BMJ study found that the higher death rate as a result of weekend arrival closely related to the fact that patients admitted then are much more likely to be emergency cases and also to be at higher risk of dying anyway, not just lack of senior staff on duty and support services.
However, Keogh – a longstanding champion of better seven-day NHS care -– also makes clear that an unquantifiable number of such patients do die, saying: “There is an avoidable ‘weekend effect’ which if addressed could save lives. This is something that we as clinicians should collectively seek to solve. It also strengthens the moral and professional case for concerted action.” However, Keogh – a longstanding champion of better seven-day NHS care – also makes clear that an unquantifiable number of such patients do die, saying: “There is an avoidable ‘weekend effect’ which if addressed could save lives. This is something that we as clinicians should collectively seek to solve. It also strengthens the moral and professional case for concerted action.”
Keogh’s reply has disappointed the doctors who signed the letter. Dr Ben Dean, who organised it, said: “It is clear that Keogh stands by the BMJ piece in which it is clearly stated that assuming the weekend effect deaths to be preventable is ‘rash and misleading’. This means that it must be Keogh’s opinion that Hunt’s statements are both ‘rash and misleading’.”Keogh’s reply has disappointed the doctors who signed the letter. Dr Ben Dean, who organised it, said: “It is clear that Keogh stands by the BMJ piece in which it is clearly stated that assuming the weekend effect deaths to be preventable is ‘rash and misleading’. This means that it must be Keogh’s opinion that Hunt’s statements are both ‘rash and misleading’.”
He went on: “It is somewhat disappointing that Bruce Keogh does not demonstrate more leadership by openly criticising Hunt’s rash and misleading statements directly as the BMJ editor Fiona Godlee has done”, said Dean, an orthopaedic registrar in Oxford.He went on: “It is somewhat disappointing that Bruce Keogh does not demonstrate more leadership by openly criticising Hunt’s rash and misleading statements directly as the BMJ editor Fiona Godlee has done”, said Dean, an orthopaedic registrar in Oxford.
“I wrote the initial letter as I felt Jeremy Hunt was recklessly misrepresenting the data from the BMJ study. This was because Hunt openly stated that the excess deaths were preventable when the BMJ piece made it crystal clear that it was both ‘rash and misleading’ to do so.”“I wrote the initial letter as I felt Jeremy Hunt was recklessly misrepresenting the data from the BMJ study. This was because Hunt openly stated that the excess deaths were preventable when the BMJ piece made it crystal clear that it was both ‘rash and misleading’ to do so.”