Evidence shows that the limited availability of some hospital services at weekends, can have detrimental outcomes for patients, including raising the risk of mortality, for example deaths can be 11% higher on a saturday, and 16% higher on a Sunday. These mortality rates are increased because of variable staffing levels on the weekend, fewer decision makers at consultant level, lack of consistent support units and a lack of community based and primary care services that could prevent unnecessary admissions. The need for change is also identified in Patient experience at weekends, the length of hospital stays and readmission rates.
Therefore the NHS is aiming to provide a more patient focussed service, the change is proposed by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, and will take three years to implement. A major part of this is making NHS services seven days a week. This seven day working scheme will lead to new clinical standards, the board of NHS England has set out new standards for hospitals, for example, all emergency admissions will be sen by a consultant in 14 hours and patients in intensive care and other high dependency units can be reviewed twice a day. There will be seven day access to diagnostic tests, for example X-rays, ultrasounds, MRI scans and pathology. Making seven day working will provide weekend access to multi-disciplinary teams including nurses, physios and other support staff. The increase in consultants will reduce the amount of patients being discharged on a monday and improve patient outcome, because delaying discharge can adversely affect their outcome as it increases there vulnerability to hospital inquired infections.
Using all resources seven days a week, is more financially beneficial, whilst currently there is poor management of hospital resources. The scottish administration has committed to having consultants on the ward 7 days a week, while Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to decide.
References:
http://bma.org.uk/working-for-change/the-changing-nhs/nhs-culture/seven-day-services
http://www.england.nhs.uk/tag/seven-day-services/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25381319
http://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/qual-clin-lead/7-day-week/7ds/
http://www.england.nhs.uk/2013/12/15/sir-bruce-keogh-7ds/
http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/news/article/uk/7_day_working_in_the_nhs
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