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A&E campaigns 'will cost lives' A&E campaigns 'will cost lives'
(about 5 hours later)
Campaigns to save local A&E departments from closure could lead to more than 1,000 unnecessary deaths each year, a report has warned.Campaigns to save local A&E departments from closure could lead to more than 1,000 unnecessary deaths each year, a report has warned.
The Institute for Public Policy Research said specialist units were better placed than local hospitals to deal with high-risk patients. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said specialist units were better placed than local hospitals to deal with high-risk patients.
Heart attack and trauma patients would be safer at such units even if they had to travel further, they said. The report comes as Tony Blair is due to urge managers to make the case for reorganising NHS services in England.
The calls come as the government plans to outline its case for NHS reform. Financial concerns must not drown out arguments for change, the PM will say.
Two government advisers, Sir George Alberti and Professor Roger Boyle, are due to publish reports arguing for a range of urgent care services, including out-of-hours GPs, walk-in-centres and a bigger role for paramedics, alongside specialist units. The best is yet to come with more lives saved, stopping more pain and distress Tony Blair
Some district hospitals are not as safe as they should be and that point has not been effectively made Joe Farrington-Douglas Mr Blair will outline the government's case for NHS reform in a speech to local health managers and doctors at the NHS Confederation on Tuesday.
In a speech at the NHS Confederation, Prime Minister Tony Blair will say service improvements in NHS hospitals are being implemented to ensure the very sick have speedy access to specialist care but also to treat people more conveniently closer to home. He will say service improvements in NHS hospitals are being implemented to ensure the very sick have speedy access to specialist care but also to treat people more conveniently closer to home.
But critics of the reforms say they put patient lives at risk and are being done to cut costs. "The best is yet to come with more lives saved, stopping more pain and distress," he will say.
But critics of the reforms say they will put patient lives at risk and are being carried out to cut costs.
Meanwhile, two government advisers, Sir George Alberti and Professor Roger Boyle, are due to publish separate reports arguing for a range of urgent care services, including out-of-hours GPs, walk-in-centres and a bigger role for paramedics, alongside specialist units.
Universal access
The IPPR finding is based on data showing how many extra lives could be saved if everyone had access to new techniques to treat heart attacks.The IPPR finding is based on data showing how many extra lives could be saved if everyone had access to new techniques to treat heart attacks.
Some district hospitals are not as safe as they should be and that point has not been effectively made Joe Farrington-Douglas
If heart attack care was reconfigured to ensure universal access to emergency angioplasty, around 500 extra lives could be saved every year, it said.If heart attack care was reconfigured to ensure universal access to emergency angioplasty, around 500 extra lives could be saved every year, it said.
Last year only 1,600 of 61,000 heart attack patients were treated in a specialist unit.Last year only 1,600 of 61,000 heart attack patients were treated in a specialist unit.
Also there is evidence that people who have suffered severe injury are more likely to survive if they are treated in specialist centres rather than local hospitals.Also there is evidence that people who have suffered severe injury are more likely to survive if they are treated in specialist centres rather than local hospitals.
The Royal College of Surgeons and British Orthopaedic Society estimate that universal access to specialist trauma centres could save around 770 lives a year. The Royal College of Surgeons and British Orthopaedic Society estimates that universal access to specialist trauma centres could save around 770 lives a year.
Reconfiguring servicesReconfiguring services
The researchers said people should be out on the streets campaigning for changes to the way hospitals provide services rather than campaigning to keep traditional services open. The IPPR researchers said people should be out on the streets campaigning for changes to the way hospitals provide services rather than campaigning to keep traditional services open.
"We're not saying that hospitals should close, we're talking about reconfiguring services," said IPPR research fellow Joe Farrington-Douglas."We're not saying that hospitals should close, we're talking about reconfiguring services," said IPPR research fellow Joe Farrington-Douglas.
He said: "The NHS and government should be able to demonstrate how changes will improve care and local people should hold the NHS to account, but they need to understand that preserving the local hospital will not always be in their best interest if something life-threatening happens."He said: "The NHS and government should be able to demonstrate how changes will improve care and local people should hold the NHS to account, but they need to understand that preserving the local hospital will not always be in their best interest if something life-threatening happens."
He added: "Some district hospitals are not as safe as they should be and that point has not been effectively made."He added: "Some district hospitals are not as safe as they should be and that point has not been effectively made."
Dr Jonathan Fielden, chairman of the BMA's consultants' committee said: "Patients, doctors and NHS managers will find it extremely helpful to have good clinical evidence available when decisions are taken on how hospital services should be best provided in local communities. Dr Jonathan Fielden, chairman of the BMA's consultants' committee said decisions on reconfiguration must be based on "good evidence".
"Without the evidence, there is a real risk that decisions on reconfiguration will be based on what suits politicians and NHS accountants rather than what is in the best interests of patients. "It is absolutely right that there is a public debate about the way our health services are delivered in the future and it is vital that patients and clinicians are properly informed and engaged in these discussions," he said.
"Patients will naturally have anxieties about plans to change the services available at their local hospital at a time when many NHS trusts are forced to make cuts.
"It is absolutely right that there is a public debate about the way our health services are delivered in the future and it is vital that patients and clinicians are properly informed and engaged in these discussions."