Trust denies cutting patient appointments

Hospitals are cutting post-operation follow–up appointments in a bid to save money, research suggests.

The ratio of follow–up appointments to operations at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Rochdale Infirmary, has fallen from 2.87 to 1.78 over the past two years. The trust has refuted the claim.

The analysis was carried out by Pulse — the magazine for GPs. Some GPs are warning that patients are being discharged back to family doctors too early as hospitals try to slash costs.

They warn GPs may not have the right skills or time to deal with any problems and the number of patients readmitted to hospital could increase.

In 2008-9, the ratio — used as a key measure of performance and efficiency — averaged 2.36 across hospitals in England. But by 2009-10 it had dropped to 2.32 and fell again in 2010-11 to 2.22, according to Pulse.

Based on last year’s total of 10.1 million operations, the research shows there were 22.2 million follow–up appointments. This is 1.2 million fewer than would have been expected based on 2009-10 rates, and 1.6 million fewer than under 2008-9 rates.

But Dr Christina Kenny, associate medical director for Pennine Acute Trust, said: “We do not recognise the data published by Pulse magazine. We have not introduced any new policies to reduce follow-up appointments to our patients for financial savings.

“To be clear, all patients with a clinical need for a follow-up appointment in hospital should and will receive one. Advances in modern medicine mean that many patients now do not necessarily need to return to see a consultant.

“Patients can often be reviewed by other services such as physiotherapy and rehabilitation. Equally, follow-up discussions between some patients and our doctors and nurses can be carried out over the telephone if this is easier and more suitable for patients.”