North Tees Death Rate

[marky]

An example of Public Sector Speak and of how it can be used to suppress any natural instinct of humanity.

A spokesman for the North Tees Hospital Trust comments on the 352 'higher than expected' death rate it achieved last year and coldly describes the figure as 'disappointing.' I would guess that a similar figure the year before was also 'disappointing'.

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/north-tees-health-trust-records-10395250?ref=BreakingNewsTeesside&utm_medium=facebook

[Inspector Knacker]

I read the article and was interested in the reply from the 'Trust spokeswoman'.... which said ' One reason is that we are unusual in the country as we see nearly 20% of our emergency medical patients in our ambulatory care unit.....' which means what exactly in plain English ?
There followed some explanation of the  reclassification of patients to improve the figures, but are the people who died still deceased and if not, what's changed ?

[notenoughsaid]

   Regarding plain speaking I would humbly suggest the the expression " ambulatory care unit" is a word meant to explain people who are treat on arrival in the AMBULANCE they arrived in due to serious over crowding in A&E .Obviously an attempt to disguise how inefficient A&E has become.  Or in other words the pressure the precious staff are under.   To them I say thank you.   The old three letter abbreviation comes to mind.   .....
DOE... Dead on arrival.   Souls who never saw the inside of a hospital when most needed.   May they all RIP.

[WhatTheHeck]

   Regarding plain speaking I would humbly suggest the the expression " ambulatory care unit" is a word meant to explain people who are treat on arrival in the AMBULANCE they arrived in due to serious over crowding in A&E .Obviously an attempt to disguise how inefficient A&E has become.  Or in other words the pressure the precious staff are under.   To them I say thank you.   The old three letter abbreviation comes to mind.   .....
DOE... Dead on arrival.   Souls who never saw the inside of a hospital when most needed.   May they all RIP.

Somewhat far from the truth, ambulatory care, or 'rapid assessment unit' is not an 'overflow' of A & E, far from it.

The unit is primarily for people who are in need of urgent assessment or treatment, not patients who have an immediate, life threatening emergency, patients can be referred to it by GP's or other departments of  the NHS, a large number of patients walk in, although some are transported, out of personal needs, by Ambulance.

[marky]

"The unit is primarily for people who are in need of urgent assessment or treatment, not patients who have an immediate, life threatening emergency"

'Scuse me but if they are 'in need of urgent assessment' how exactly do you know they are 'not patients who have an immediate, life threatening emergency'

[WhatTheHeck]

"The unit is primarily for people who are in need of urgent assessment or treatment, not patients who have an immediate, life threatening emergency"

'Scuse me but if they are 'in need of urgent assessment' how exactly do you know they are 'not patients who have an immediate, life threatening emergency'

'Ambulatory' def. 'relating to or adapted for walking'

Not wishing to resort to sarcasm, but, if I was run over by a bus and was leaking claret everywhere, I would say I had a life threatening emergency, I hope in that case I would be taken to A & E for immediate treatment.

On the other hand, if a patient has, say, severe swelling, to a leg and on visiting their GP, he/she diagnosed possible DVT, that could develop into a life threatening condition, they would be referred to 'Ambulatory Care' on the same day, as being in need of urgent assessment and treatment rather than being referred to a specialist and being placed on a waiting list for weeks. (just one scenario, there are other medical conditions that could be dealt with in a similar manner)

That's why most hospitals have 'Ambulatory Care' or 'Rapid Assessment' units, just think of it as a fast track outpatients, patients who attend the unit can either be admitted, treated at the time or referred on, it has nothing to do with how you get there !