Jeremy Hunt could be SACKED for 'misleading' public over weekend hospital deaths

DAVID CAMERON could be forced to sack Jeremy Hunt after the health secretary allegedly misleading Parliament - and the public - over weekend hospital death figures.

The Tory minister has continually said 11,000 extra deaths occurred in 2013-2014 as a result of admission to hospital over the weekend - but has omitted the next part of the research report he is quoting which says "to assume they are avoidable would be rash and misleading".


He has used the figure a number of times in Parliament and in interviews to try to back up a case for a "seven-day NHS" - which doctors argue already happens.


Doctors also claim he started quoting the figures before the original article was published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).


Answering a question from shadow health secretary, Heidi Alexander, on the proposed Junior Doctors' contract change, he also used the figure as a reason to extend their normal working hours from 7pm to 10pm every day of the week except Sunday.


They say this would mean increased working hours and a reduction in their anti-social hours pay, and therefore up to a 30 per cent salary cut.


Dr Palek Trivedi, an academic clinical lecturer at the University of Birmingham, wrote to the parliamentary commissioner for standards saying he was "deeply concerned" at Mr Hunt "misleading" the public over the figures.





This is the original paragraph Mr Hunt is only quoting part of


He quoted part of the Ministerial Code of Conduct which says: "It is of paramount importance that ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity.

"Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the Prime Minister."

A reply to his letter reveals it is up to Mr Cameron "to decide whether to initiate any inquiry into an alleged breach of that code".


Mr Hunt has been quoting the 11,000 excess deaths from weekend admissions from the BMJ article written by NHS national health director, Sir Bruce Keogh and his colleagues, but doctors say he is misquoting the facts by not following up with what the article carries on with.


In the report, the authors state: "Our analysis of 2013-14 data suggests that around 11,000 more people die each year within 30 days of admission to hospital on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday compared with other days of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday).


"It is not possible to ascertain the extent to which these excess deaths may be preventable; to assume that they are avoidable would be rash and misleading."


The editor of the BMJ, Fiona Godlee, has also written to the health secretary over his repeated use of the figures saying his omission of the important facts "clearly implies that you believe these excess deaths are avoidable".

She has asked him to clarify his statements made "to show your understanding of the issues involved".


However, Ben Gummer, the health minister, said: "Significant independent clinical evidence shows increased mortality in our hospitals at weekends linked to reduced clinical cover.


"The BMJ authors themselves acknowledge that, and any debate about precisely how many of the thousands of deaths are avoidable misses the point.


"What all doctors want is to provide the best care for their patients, and the public rightly expect the highest standards whichever day of the week they are admitted to hospital. The government is committed to supporting that."

Mr Cameron's office said they will be responding to the letters "in due course".


http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/614822/Jeremy-Hunt-faces-sack-misleading-public-weekend-hospital-deaths

Seems this government are turning lying into an art form.