Review of seven-day NHS identifies risks

A leaked review of the government’s plans for a seven-day NHS has highlighted risks, according to The Guardian and Channel 4 News.

The leaked risk register, drawn up by the Department of Health, identifies a number of possible risks with the seven-day, including concerns over a shortage of staff.

The documents, seen by Channel 4 and The Guardian, also expressed a high risk of ‘workforce overload’, as well as showcasing discontent over the lack of detailed costings, risk assessment, and limited data supporting the policy.

Dr Mark Porter, council chair of the British Medical Association (BMA), said: “To see in black and white that the government has not only ignored these concerns – and those of other leading healthcare organisations - but has also disregarded its own risk assessment’s warnings about the lack of staffing and funding needed to deliver further seven-day services, is both alarming and incredibly disappointing.

“If the government wants to make more services available across seven days, then it needs to urgently address how it will staff and fund them rather than continue to mislead the public and brand doctors – who already work round the clock, seven-days a week - as a roadblock to their plans.”

The Labour party is now demanding an inquiry into the revelations, claiming that the leaked documents prove that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt had misled the public by pushing ahead with expanding the NHS in England despite widespread concerns with the Department of Health.

Deputy Leader Tom Watson tweeted: “Leaked secret papers show that junior doctors’ concerns were right. This warrants an inquiry. Hunt misled the public.”

Diane Abbott, the Shadow Health Secretary, said: “This is a scandal. The government is undermining the NHS with plans it knew to be unworkable. I will be writing to Jeremy Hunt to ask him to explain why [he] has contravened his civil servants’ advice and to ascertain whether he has misled parliament.”

The seven-day pledge was a key part of the Conservative party election manifesto, and is hoped to be in place by 2020. Deemed controversial across government, the pledge was also a major argument within the junior doctors contract disputes.