Lansley slams Labour’s NHS ‘production line’ as figures show emergency readmissions have surged over past decade

December 30th, 2011

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

NHS patients readmitted to hospital up 75% in a decade
Last year 660,000 back in care within 28 days of leaving

By
Lynn Davidson

Last updated at 2:00 AM on 30th December 2011

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said Labour's policies were responsible for a surge in hospital readmissions

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said Labour’s policies were responsible for a surge in hospital readmissions

Hundreds of thousands of patients every year are readmitted to hospital after being sent home too soon, figures suggest.

Alarming figures show that over a decade the number of NHS patients who were readmitted to hospital in an emergency within a month of being discharged soared – rising by more than 75 per cent in the past decade.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley last night accused hospitals of treating patients ‘like parts on a production line’ as they tried to hit Labour’s waiting list targets.

Some 620,054 patients had to be readmitted within a month in 2009/10 compared with 348,996 a decade earlier – an increase of 78 per cent.

Mr Lansley said: ‘Patients have a right to expect that when they go in for treatment that they are looked after properly and that the treatment they are given helps them to recover.

‘Having to be readmitted and treated all over again is hugely distressing.

‘These figures show how Labour’s obsession with waiting time targets meant that patients were treated like parts on a production line to be hurried through the system rather than like people who need to be properly cared for.’

The Department of Health has released detailed information on the number of emergency readmissions in every area across Britain.

The figures showed more than 660,000 people were readmitted to hospital last year within 28 days of leaving.

And some NHS trusts have seen their emergency readmission rate rise more than three-fold over the past decade – compared with other hospitals who have seen only a slight increase.

Emergency: The figures showed more than 660,000 people were readmitted to hospital last year within 28 days of leaving

Mr Lansley criticised the previous administration for their emphasis on targets and added: ‘Instead of focusing on the results which actually matter for patients, they focused on narrow processes to the detriment of patient care.

‘That is why we have taken action to address these increases in emergency readmissions.

‘One of the new goals we are setting the NHS is reducing emergency readmissions.

‘In order to help achieve this we have created a re-ablement fund of £300 million and we have taken action to stop hospitals being paid when they readmit a patient after discharging them too early. ‘

The figures showed 620,054 patients had to be readmitted in 2009-10 – compared to just 348,996 ten years before, which is a 78 percent increase.

In the past five years, there has been a 31 per cent rise and a five per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

'Parts in a production line': Mr Lansley vowed to cut readmissions which he said were due to a focus on 'narrow processes to the detriment of patient care'

‘Parts in a production line’: Mr Lansley vowed to cut readmissions which he said were due to a focus on ‘narrow processes to the detriment of patient care’

The data also illustrates the widespread regional variations.

The rate of readmission in the Kensington Chelsea PCT area has risen by 287 percent over the past decade to 1,582 people.

But, the North Lincolnshire PCT has only experienced a 3.37 percent rise over the same period.

The official figures were released as a leading NHS body claimed one in four patients being treated in hospital would be better off being treated at home under new community-based services.

The head of the NHS Confederation said the Health Service must convince the public to let go of the ‘hospital-or-bust’ version of medical care, a conclusion which would be likely to result in ward closures.

Mike Farrar, who runs the independent organisation representing NHS providers, said 2012 would be a key year for the NHS as it undertakes a drive for £20billion in efficiency savings by 2015.

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It is just that they all are playing numbers game. You made the rules and they play by it ensuring that they fill their pockets from the public purse.

– Shah, London, 30/12/2011 05:45

Break up the NHS monolith and then managable units can compete with each other for profit by providing the best possible customer experience and service on a user pays basis. The NHS exists only to serve itself and gobble up vast amounts of taxpayers money without accountability.

– nick, sydney australia, 30/12/2011 05:28

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