Variation in access to key NHS services putting patients’ lives at risk

NHS England and Public Health England have published the NHS Atlas of Variation, which looks at NHS service performance in over 200 regions across the country.

The atlas has found a two-fold variation in fast stroke treatment and early cancer diagnosis, as well as highlighting significant differences in monitoring diabetes patients.

The atlas also found the following:

• A third of patients are diagnosed with early-stage cancer in the worst performing areas, compared with 56 per cent of patients in the best performing areas.

• In the worst performing areas, a third of patients are admitted to a stroke unit within four hours of arriving at hospital, compared to eight out of ten in the best performing areas.

• 42 per cent of patients with diabetes receive the correct checks in the worst-performing areas, compared to 72 per cent in the best, and one in 10 patients have to undergo foot amputations in the worst-performing areas, which is four times the rate in the best areas.

Prof Sir Bruce Keogh. MJS England’s medical director, said “The atlas exposes some inconvenient truths about the extent of variation in care for some common conditions.”

Prof Julia Verne from Public Health England, said “It is really important to tackle this unwarranted variation because patient lives are being put at risk. If we can iron them out then more patients will survive, they will have fewer complications and they will have better quality of life.”

Alexis Wieroniey of the Stroke Association, said “Immediate treatment on a stroke patient is essential as this helps to minimise the long-term effects and can prevent death.

“The wide-ranging variation in the time it takes people to be admitted to a stroke unit across England is extremely concerning and it is unacceptable that too many people are still not admitted within four hours.

“Wherever they live, people must have an equal chance in getting the immediate treatment they need to make their best possible recovery from stroke.”

Nick Ormiston-Smith, Cancer Research UK’s head of statistics, said “Cancer survival is improving, but these statistics show that cancer services are not meeting the needs of all patients.

“We know that catching cancer early saves lives. Diagnosing the disease at an early stage means patients have the best chance of their treatment being successful. Improving early diagnosis and ensuring patients get the best possible treatments must be a priority for the NHS.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), Medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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