By: Roger Steer

Roger Steer — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 09:56:09 +0000

You may like to know that the driver claimed for rationalisation in SW London (as per the secret pre consultation draft business case ) is 30% reductions in junior medical staff.
We have been trying to corroborate this but it seems to be very difficult to get numbers and the centre for Workforce intelligence seems to have launched a big consultation excercise on the subject.
The facts are, per the article ref attached below, that the UK has far fewer hospital specialists than other comparable countries but who happen to be paid the highest in europe by being able to work in the private sector at the same time as drawing a salary from the NHS.
The real story is that local A/E services are to be sacrificed to keep the London teaching hospitals and the working practices of the consultants protected (IE that the juniors do all the work).
NB Although this is very much a London issue it has a bearing on many vulnerable small town A/E depts in tory england e.g. Huntingdon popn 50k has its own A/E; Grantham popn 40k has its own A/E ; chichester district 100k has its own A/E etc.
Our view is that there is no justification for reducing doctor numbers- there needs to be far more- and that there is not a compelling clinical case for rationalisation otherwise.
The evidence shows that for every extra mile of travel the mortality rate increases by 1% and the further people have to travel the less likely they are to attempt to travel.

If we can be of further help let us know..

http://www.seo.nl/uploads/media/2012-77_Remuneration_of_medical_specialists.pdf

Comments on: How many A&E Departments will close in London and who is responsible?

By: Roger Steer