Letter: Patient's death was not about cash
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Your article 'Woman dies after a 12-hour wait for hospital bed' (26 July) has created the unfortunate impression that we do not care for, or about, elderly patients - and that is untrue. Mrs Ruskin was brought to our casualty department by ambulance at 9.25am on 26 February 1993, was immediately assessed by nursing staff, was seen by one of our doctors within one hour, and her case was then transferred to the 'Care of the Elderly' team, which has beds on this hospital site although it is not managed by the trust. All parties involved regret the delay before Mrs Ruskin was admitted to one of these wards.
Unfortunately, your reporter's simplification of my statement 'if we admit that sort of patient, we lose money' specifically feeds into the political debate about trusts putting profits before patients. What I actually said was that the purchasing health authority had not undertaken to contract with this trust for acute geriatric medicine, and consequently we receive no funding with which to provide such a service.
Yours faithfully,
DAVID K. HIRST
Chief Executive
North Middlesex Hospital Trust
London, N18
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments