Fewer patients are on waiting lists for medical treatment at South Tees Hospitals with the Government hailing a ‘faster further’ scheme providing additional medical resources to selected trusts.
South Tees, which includes the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough and the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, was one of 20 trusts previously chosen to take part in the scheme which sees specialist teams drafted in to transform how planned operations and outpatient appointments are delivered.
This includes so-called ‘high flow’ theatre activity, where theatres operate continuously allowing surgeons to complete more procedures quicker.
Statistics
A spokeswoman for the South Tees trust told the Local Democracy Reporting Service 56,596 patients were waiting for treatment (defined as referral to treatment) in October last year, a 1.5% reduction (916 patients) in the previous 12 months.
The majority of patients (61.7%) are being seen within an 18 week standard target, although figures recently shared with the trust’s board of directors meeting showed in September that 1,522 patients had been waiting for more than a year for treatment and 124 more than 65 weeks.
A performance report for the board said eliminating very long waits “remains very challenging whilst demand and capacity imbalances in several specialties are addressed”.
The Department of Health and Social Care also said 4,000 extra appointment slots had been created at South Tees since the launch of the programme last year.
Efforts have been made to send some patients ‘straight to test’ – optimising outpatient clinics so individuals don’t have to make multiple visits for appointments.
The health service will take learnings from the programme and use these in the rest of the NHS.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “By sending crack teams into hospitals to supercharge care, opening more community diagnostic centres longer and later, and cutting wasteful spending, we’re turning the tanker round and patients are starting to feel the difference.”
Tim Mitchell, president of the Royal College of Surgeons in England, said: “It is encouraging to see targeted support helping trusts run operating lists and outpatient clinics more efficiently.
“ Long waits carry real human costs – prolonged pain, loss of independence, time away from work and disrupted lives.”
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Labour MP Luke Myer said there was a long way to go, but “real progress” was being made in the NHS in terms of patient improvements.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO OUR CROWDFUNDER
HELP US BECOME STRONGER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER POWERFUL CITIZEN JOURNALISM!
