Putting the focus back on patients
This weekend far too many people will be left stuck in hospital or rushed out of the door on Friday afternoon because the right consultant expertise is not available to properly assess whether it's safe to send people home.
So, whilst there are many doctors working hard over the next two days to care for us and our loved ones, the question is: are they the right ones?
As the voice of patients, our concern is that this week’s public disagreements about 'contract terms' is causing people to lose sight of this crucial point about 7 day services and access to consultants.
Our 'Safely Home' report published this week highlighted both the human and financial cost of getting discharge wrong. And the evidence around patient safety and outcomes over the weekend has been recognised by everyone for some time.
To put an end to the unnecessary suffering and the senseless costs incurred through emergency readmissions, we want to see those in charge sit down and have a grown-up conversation about what type of service would deliver the best results for all of us.
Put simply we want to see health and social care organisations and staff organising themselves around patients and not the other way around. We understand this will not be simple, but we think focusing on patients and what they need should help all parties to overcome their differences.
