Weekend admission higher risk

Admissions to hospital on the weekend mean patients are more likely to die, a new study suggests. The Weekend Hospitalisation and Additional Risk of Death: an Analysis of Inpatient Data report highlights lack of senior staff and inability to conduct diagnostic tests as reasons for the extra risk.

The study looked at all 14.2 million patients admitted to NHS hospitals in England between 2009 and 2010 and found that patients are 16% more likely to die if admitted on a Sunday rather than a Wednesday, and 11% more likely if admitted on Saturday.

Experts wrote in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine: “We identified a significantly higher risk of subsequent in-hospital death during the 30-day follow-up period associated with admission during the weekend (Saturday or Sunday), compared to mid-week days.

“Admission on Tuesday through Friday was associated with the lowest risk of in-hospital death, while admission on Sunday was associated with the highest risk. Admission on Saturday was associated with a marked increased mortality risk and admission on Monday was associated with a less, but statistically significant, increased risk.”

The medical conditions resulting in the biggest number of in-hospital deaths included pneumonia, congestive heart failure, heart attack, septicaemia, acute renal failure, urinary tract infections and neck or hip fracture.

The Department of Health is calling for seven day working weeks in the NHS, with staff spread out to ensure quality care at all times. Health secretary Andrew Lansley said: “It is unacceptable that patients admitted to hospital on a Saturday or Sunday stay longer and have worse results.”

Dr Andrew Goddard, Royal College of Physicians director of medical workforce, said: “This study is further evidence that patients admitted at weekends are more likely to die following admission than patients admitted to hospital during the week. There are many reasons for this, but the two most important are that the patients are more ill and there are fewer doctors available.”