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Drakeford dismisses Welsh hospitals' death rates inquiry call | Drakeford dismisses Welsh hospitals' death rates inquiry call |
(35 minutes later) | |
Health Minister Mark Drakeford has dismissed Conservative calls for an inquiry into death rates at Welsh hospitals as a "nonsensical trap". | Health Minister Mark Drakeford has dismissed Conservative calls for an inquiry into death rates at Welsh hospitals as a "nonsensical trap". |
It comes after the medical director of the NHS in England suggested the rates were worrying and should be probed. | It comes after the medical director of the NHS in England suggested the rates were worrying and should be probed. |
Mr Drakeford ruled out an inquiry claiming the call was a politically motivated attempt to "drag the Welsh NHS through the mud". | Mr Drakeford ruled out an inquiry claiming the call was a politically motivated attempt to "drag the Welsh NHS through the mud". |
He said data for England and Wales could not be compared. | He said data for England and Wales could not be compared. |
The statistics are part of a drive to make the NHS more transparent in the wake of the Stafford Hospital scandal. | The statistics are part of a drive to make the NHS more transparent in the wake of the Stafford Hospital scandal. |
Neglect and abuse at Stafford Hospital led to hundreds of unnecessary deaths between 2005 and 2008 and prompted a public inquiry. | Neglect and abuse at Stafford Hospital led to hundreds of unnecessary deaths between 2005 and 2008 and prompted a public inquiry. |
Speaking to BBC Wales, Mr Drakeford said he was "coldly furious" about the way an e-mail Sir Bruce Keogh had sent his NHS Wales equivalent, Dr Chris Jones, was being used. | Speaking to BBC Wales, Mr Drakeford said he was "coldly furious" about the way an e-mail Sir Bruce Keogh had sent his NHS Wales equivalent, Dr Chris Jones, was being used. |
In the e-mail, sent in November but now released under the Freedom of Information Act, Sir Bruce said persistently high death rates in Welsh hospitals should be investigated. | In the e-mail, sent in November but now released under the Freedom of Information Act, Sir Bruce said persistently high death rates in Welsh hospitals should be investigated. |
Sir Bruce said data on rates in six Welsh hospitals was worrying, but not adequate to form a view. | Sir Bruce said data on rates in six Welsh hospitals was worrying, but not adequate to form a view. |
Sir Bruce and Dr Jones have met since the e-mail was sent but the outcome of that meeting is unknown. | Sir Bruce and Dr Jones have met since the e-mail was sent but the outcome of that meeting is unknown. |
Mr Drakeford said he had "no quarrel" with the e-mail sent by the most senior doctor in England's NHS to his Welsh equivalent. | Mr Drakeford said he had "no quarrel" with the e-mail sent by the most senior doctor in England's NHS to his Welsh equivalent. |
He went on: "But the use that has been made of that e-mail today makes me coldly furious. | He went on: "But the use that has been made of that e-mail today makes me coldly furious. |
'Utter shambles | 'Utter shambles |
"It is the concerted political attempt by the Conservative Party in London to drag the Welsh NHS through the mud which is absolutely unacceptable to me. | "It is the concerted political attempt by the Conservative Party in London to drag the Welsh NHS through the mud which is absolutely unacceptable to me. |
"All they are interested in doing is trying to divert attention from the utter shambles that is the English NHS by trying to pretend that things in Wales are worse. | "All they are interested in doing is trying to divert attention from the utter shambles that is the English NHS by trying to pretend that things in Wales are worse. |
"They are not and we will not fall into that kind of nonsensical trap." | "They are not and we will not fall into that kind of nonsensical trap." |
Mr Drakeford insisted the quarterly trend showed that things were getting better in Wales' NHS. | Mr Drakeford insisted the quarterly trend showed that things were getting better in Wales' NHS. |
Sir Bruce's e-mail came amid heightened tensions between the governments in London and Cardiff Bay over the performance of the Welsh NHS. | Sir Bruce's e-mail came amid heightened tensions between the governments in London and Cardiff Bay over the performance of the Welsh NHS. |
Prime Minister David Cameron has repeatedly criticised the performance of the Welsh NHS and the Labour administration in Cardiff Bay during Prime Minister's Questions. | Prime Minister David Cameron has repeatedly criticised the performance of the Welsh NHS and the Labour administration in Cardiff Bay during Prime Minister's Questions. |
Statistics published last year by the Welsh government showed 11 out of 17 district general hospitals in Wales had higher death rates than should be expected. | Statistics published last year by the Welsh government showed 11 out of 17 district general hospitals in Wales had higher death rates than should be expected. |
Officials described the findings as a "fire alarm" but they warned that there were major problems with the way the data was collected. | Officials described the findings as a "fire alarm" but they warned that there were major problems with the way the data was collected. |
More updated statistics now show the figure is down to eight. | More updated statistics now show the figure is down to eight. |
On Thursday, Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies, said: "The concerns raised in this e-mail confirm our serious worries over standards of care in the NHS. | On Thursday, Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies, said: "The concerns raised in this e-mail confirm our serious worries over standards of care in the NHS. |
"Professor Keogh's recommendation of 'investigation' into mortality rates should be immediately undertaken and no longer ignored." | "Professor Keogh's recommendation of 'investigation' into mortality rates should be immediately undertaken and no longer ignored." |
The Welsh NHS has faced problems recently with key targets for A&E missed since 2009, ambulance response time targets hit once since May 2012 and a rise in people waiting more than nine months for their first hospital appointment. | The Welsh NHS has faced problems recently with key targets for A&E missed since 2009, ambulance response time targets hit once since May 2012 and a rise in people waiting more than nine months for their first hospital appointment. |
A Welsh government spokesperson said: "The NHS in Wales is open, transparent and has a higher level of scrutiny than any other part of the UK. | A Welsh government spokesperson said: "The NHS in Wales is open, transparent and has a higher level of scrutiny than any other part of the UK. |
"Mortality rates in Wales are published on a quarterly basis and latest figures demonstrate clear improvement. | "Mortality rates in Wales are published on a quarterly basis and latest figures demonstrate clear improvement. |
"The points raised by Sir Bruce were discussed with him at a meeting with Dr Chris Jones on December 10th." | "The points raised by Sir Bruce were discussed with him at a meeting with Dr Chris Jones on December 10th." |
But Tony Beddow, visiting professor at the University of South Wales Institute of Health and Social Care and an adviser to Edwina Hart when she was health minister, issued a warning over the e-mail. | But Tony Beddow, visiting professor at the University of South Wales Institute of Health and Social Care and an adviser to Edwina Hart when she was health minister, issued a warning over the e-mail. |
"There is form on this," he told BBC Radio Wales. "A few months ago one of Sir Bruce Keogh's reports was used, and I would say misused, in relation to the English data. | "There is form on this," he told BBC Radio Wales. "A few months ago one of Sir Bruce Keogh's reports was used, and I would say misused, in relation to the English data. |
"This is not a new issue. | "This is not a new issue. |
"There are reasons why in my view the English administration has to try and portray the shambles that I have described to me every time I meet my colleagues in England - which now passes for a failing healthcare system - and try to portray that in the best light possible." | "There are reasons why in my view the English administration has to try and portray the shambles that I have described to me every time I meet my colleagues in England - which now passes for a failing healthcare system - and try to portray that in the best light possible." |