STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

3,000 heart attack and stroke victims a year are suffering delays being admitted to hospitals after falling ill at weekends, because NHS services are not working round the clock, a new report suggests. Senior doctors last night warned that patients are dying needlessly because of poor access to GPs and out-of-hours services failing to detect emergency cases which should be sent to hospital. New analysis of national NHS data shows a steep drop in the number of cases being admitted to hospital as an emergency at weekends, and a still sharper fall in the number who were sent there by GPs.

The figures suggest that each year, 3,144 patients suffering from heart attacks and strokes end up suffering a delay of at least 24 hours being admitted to hospital, because their case was not identified as an emergency.

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/nhs/11423136/3000-heart-attack-and-stroke-victims-suffer-delays-after-falling-ill-at-weekends.html

NHS lets down patients with appalling standards at weekends, says top doctor

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/nhs/11438668/NHS-lets-down-patients-with-appalling-standards-at-weekends-says-top-doctor.html

Filed under: A&E, Hospital, NHS, Uncategorized, A&E, delay, Hospital, out of hours