All news
NHS healthcare 'not coping with hip fractures'
September 02, 2010
The NHS is failing a large proportion of patients who require surgery on fractured hips within 48 hours, a healthcare audit has revealed.
More people may seek health insurance after it was revealed that NHS healthcare services are struggling to deal properly with hip injuries.
According to the National Hip Fracture audit, when this type of injury occurs surgery should be conducted within a 48 hour period.
However, it found that in 20 per cent of cases, NHS hospitals were not meeting this deadline, reports Health Insurance and Protection magazine.
Michelle Mitchell, charity director at Age UK, said: "Falls in general cost the NHS an estimated £4.6 million a day, as well as causing people pain, disability, loss of independence and even death."
Hip fractures cost the NHS around £1.4 billion a year, with more than 76,000 cases recorded across the UK on an annual basis.
Last month, Dr Doug Wright, principal clinical consultant at Aviva Health UK, told Money Marketing that he thinks NHS waiting lists are going to rise in the near future as their healthcare budgets stagnate or are made subject to cuts.
Published by Nicola Bellingham
Private Health Insurance News
