WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones has warned that abandoning the 18-week treatment guarantee promised by the former government will mean patients waiting longer for treatment.
She said: “The real progress made under the Labour Government, which saw waiting times reduced dramatically, has been undermined and will likely be reversed.”
In a recent Parliamentary answer, Health Minister Simon Burns said 93.2 per cent of patients admitted to Warrington and Halton Hospitals Trust were treated within 18 weeks from referral.
Of patients whose treatment did not require admission to hospital, 97.8 per cent waited 18 weeks or less from referral.
Ms Jones said: “Unfortunately, he now can’t guarantee that this will continue to happen.
“I asked the minister how many people he thinks deserve to wait longer and he couldn’t answer.
“That fact is that with the 18 week guarantee abolished some people will wait longer for treatment. The real progress made under the Labour government, which saw waiting timers reduced dramatically, has been undermined and will likely be reversed.”
WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones has warned that abandoning the 18-week
treatment guarantee promised by the former government will mean patients
waiting longer for treatment.Hospital waiting lists to get longer?
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
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Hi – this is the hospital response to the target being dropped nationally.
Although the target has been dropped at a national level as part of the new NHS White Paper plans, hospital staff feel that the 18 week target works well for patients and means that hospital treatments are provided faster than ever before.
“18 week waiting has changed the way that the hospitals work,” explains Simon Wright, chief operating officer at the hospitals, “It basically means that after being referred by your GP you get all of your hospital treatment in that 18 week period – that includes your outpatient appointment, any scans and tests you need and then any actual surgery or treatment. We were one of the first trusts in the North West to meet the target when it was introduced and it has meant we’ve been able to speed up treatment for local patients.
“Although we could in theory now relax these timescales, we’ll be continuing to work towards the 18 week target. It is good for our patients and a lot of work has taken place to ensure our departments across the hospital work together so patients get their appointments and treatment quickly. We have listened to our patients and they want us to ensure that they are seen quickly and safely so maintaining the 18 week commitment remains important to us.”