"Shooting the messenger stats"
In an article in the Daily Mail, the zombie statistic rears its ugly head again:
around 1,200 patients died due to failings at the trust under his management
The article is littered with inaccuracies - Mid Staffs not under his management, for example - and seems to be a vehicle for the Daily Mail and Julie Bailey's joint vendetta against a man who is as the article states about to retire.
The article is littered with inaccuracies - Mid Staffs not under his management, for example - and seems to be a vehicle for the Daily Mail and Julie Bailey's joint vendetta against a man who is as the article states about to retire.
I asked the developer of the statistic being quoted for his comment on this misuse of the HSMR (which he has apparently tried his best to stop), and his reply was frankly bizarre:
BrianJarmanNo comment, except no one held to account (but big efforts to shoot the messenger stats)
The metaphor of "shooting the messenger" is well known, but not "shoot the messenger stats". It doesn't really work - the stats ARE the message, so is Brian Jarman really saying "shoot the message"?
The HSMR methodology has come under great scrutiny and has been criticized by many eminent statisticians and other heathcare experts. Prof Sir Brian Jarman should be addressing these in the academic sphere to demonstrate his faith in the methodology, rather than respond with an ad hominem argument.
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