Commenting on the publication of the Dr Foster Inside your hospital report, Sir Richard Thompson, president of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), said:
At last we have data that clearly links higher numbers of senior doctors in hospitals at the weekend with lower mortality rates.
Over the past 10 years the number of doctors in the NHS has steadily increased and it is therefore not surprising that mortality rates have fallen. We must ensure that consultant numbers continue to increase to allow higher levels of staffing at the weekend in all hospitals.
The findings of the Dr Foster report support the RCP’s 2010 recommendation that any hospital admitting acutely ill patients should have a consultant physician on-site for at least 12 hours per day, 7 days a week. No other duties should be scheduled during this time. In addition, all medical wards should have at least one daily visit from a consultant; in most hospitals this will involve more than one physician. Appropriate time off in-lieu should be allowed for these additional hours.
At a time when finances are tight, hospitals will see freezing the number of staff as a way to save money, but we must ensure this does not happen. The progress that has been made over the past decade is encouraging, but there is still much to do to improve care and reduce the variation between hospitals. This will require investment in staff.
For further information, please contact Andrew McCracken, RCP Communications and New Media Adviser, on +44 (0)203 075 1354 / 07990 745 608, or email andrew.mccracken@rcplondon.ac.uk