Scandal of NHS deaths at weekends

Figures show that 129 of the 146 acute hospital trusts had higher death rates at weekends in 2011-12 (Christopher Furlong)
THOUSANDS of patients are dying unnecessarily because of the failure of Britain’s hospitals to provide safe out-of-hours care. Death rates are rising by up to 27% at the weekend in some hospitals.
The Sunday Times today publishes for the first time data for all 146 acute NHS hospital trusts in England, comparing patients’ death rates at the weekend and weekdays.
View the full table of NHS mortality rates
The figures show that 129 of the 146 trusts had higher death rates at weekends in 2011-12, the latest year for which there is available data for every trust. Twelve of the trusts had unexpectedly high weekend death rates, according to Dr Foster Intelligence, the company that analysed the data.