NEWS that death rates at East Lancashire’s hospitals are higher at the weekend is very alarming.

New figures have indicated that there were 14 per cent more deaths than expected during weekends in 2012.

It comes on the back of a probe into ‘higher than expected’ mortality rates at 14 acute trusts across the country, including East Lancashire.

Bosses at Royal Blackburn and Burnley General have insisted there is ‘robust’ weekend staffing.

They say the consultant ratios for non-elective admissions are ‘no different’ at the weekend, and patients are reviewed by senior doctors and consultants in the same manner as during the week.

But health campaigners are not convinced. They have said ‘its the same old story about staffing’ which needs to be addressed across the whole of the UK. Our hospitals are facing very challenging times.

‘Savings’ – which is just another word for cuts - are having to be made across the board to meet budgets. In fact the East Lancashire trust faces the daunting task of shedding 500 jobs and making £13million savings.

The Government must really look at whether the NHS can cope with cuts of this size and the effect it has on hard working and dedicated staff.

And they must also thoroughly investigate any statistical anomalies which could indicate an underlying problem. After all the NHS, when it is working well, is something all of us can be proud of and have confidence in.