The number of senior doctors on duty at weekends in hospital A&E departments is about half the level of cover during the week, according to a report.
Following freedom of information requests by The Daily Telegraph, 50 NHS hospital trusts said there were 95 consultants working at weekends compared to 210 mid-week.
The British Medical Association (BMA) blamed the Government for failing to provide enough staff and resources.
Death rates are up to 15 per cent higher if a patient is treated on a weekend.
Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, is seeking to introduce changes to consultants’ contracts to create a seven-day service. If the BMA does not agree to the changes, Mr Hunt has said he will impose a deal on new consultants ending the “opt-out” for non-emergency work at weekends.
“These figures undermine the BMA’s case against removing the consultants’ weekend opt-out,” he said.
“Patients deserve the same high quality care every day to save lives — which is why hospital leaders, senior clinicians and the independent NHS pay review bodies all agree that the opt-out must end.”
Dr Mark Porter, the BMA council’s chairman, said doctors had “always been open to more seven-day services in hospitals”.
He added: “The reason there are less staff, including nurses and other specialists, in hospitals on Saturdays and Sundays is because the Government does not provide the workforce, resources or infrastructure to maintain the level of service that exists during the week.”
Katherine Murphy, of the Patients Association, said: “Patients cannot pick and choose when they fall ill and doctors should not be able to pick and choose when they work.”
