New study calls NHS ‘weekend effect’ on mortality rates into question

The assumption that mortality rates among patients admitted to NHS hospitals at the weekend are higher has been called into question by a new study.

Analysis from the University of Manchester looked at all patients attending accident and emergency departments between April 2013 and February 2014, in order to gain more understanding of the so-called "weekend effect".

It was shown that although similar numbers of patients attended emergency departments each day at weekends and weekdays, hospitals admitted seven percent fewer patients at the weekend, a factor that may not have been taken into account in the past.

Since patients with non-serious illnesses are less likely to be admitted, those who are admitted at the weekend tend to be in worse health and therefore more likely to die, regardless of the standard of care provided.

This is a potentially crucial distinction, as the government is currently trying to extend hospital services at weekends to eliminate the weekend effect. The authors of the new study opined that this will not have any benefit.

Rachel Meacock, lead author of the study, said: "The most likely impact of the planned service extensions will be an increase in the number of less severely ill patients who are admitted at the weekend, further pushing up NHS costs."