Clearly it makes sense for the NHS to work at weekends. In fact this blog has advocated a quite different system where hospitals run a three shift 24 hour pattern which never closes. There is no reason why routine operations and care cannot take place on a round the clock basis, eliminating waiting lists and delays, together with the ludicrous and expensive bureaucracy required to administer all these lists and targets.
Among the reforms needed to make real progress is one of the medical profession involving doctors and consultants, the way they are organised and the way they see themselves, their hierarchy and some of their eighteenth century traditions. Above all moonlighting into lucrative private practice fed by customers delayed by the NHS is a no go. So is the self employed status of GPs. But I am moving ahead of current events I know. Unfortunately until events catch up the NHS will continue to lurch from one problem to the next.