Seven-day suspense

  Seven-day services can help reduce variations in care, but misrepresentation of research and continuing doubts over funding dog their implementation, a conference heard. Tim Tonkin reports For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple and wrong.’ The observation by early 20th-century journalist and satirist H L Mencken found itself being appropriated, quite fittingly perhaps, by West London University professor of health policy Charles Easmon during a recent debate at the RSM (Royal Society of Medicine). The subject under discussion had been that of seven-day services in the NHS and the motives, merits and challenges associated with realising the Government’s uncompromising vision for a future health service. Given that the wider debate on seven-day services — between politicians and doctors — has been steadily rumbling on for the best part of five years, reaching a consensus in one evening was unlikely. Nonetheless the RSM’s broad and distinguished panel confronted and helped to illuminate some of the debate’s key areas.   Sunday service The Government’s purported case for seven-day services — improving outcomes for patients — is one with which few disagree. NHS England director for clinical effectiveness Celia Ingham Clark outlined as much in her presentation to the RSM on 15 March, acknowledging that, while there was already 24/7 emergency care, hospital wards ‘felt different...
Source: BMA News - Category: UK Health Source Type: news