By Patients waiting for operations in northern Lincolnshire up by 3,000 after Covid-19 pandemic
The number of patients in northern Lincolnshire and Goole who are on waiting lists to receive operations has risen by 3,000 following the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been revealed.
According to a report, the total waiting list size for the Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Foundation Trust stands at 31,000 post-Covid, compared to 28,000 pre-Covid.
The number of patients waiting over one year to undergo an operation was just 9 pre-Covid – but this has shot up to 700 post-Covid.
The report cites the lack of operating theatres as the primary reason for the size of the waiting list, but states that the problem has merely been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
It reads: “We also know that we don’t have enough operating theatres to do the number of operations we need to – which has a significant impact on waiting lists and waiting times.
“This problem has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, including existing theatres becoming less efficient as a result of additional time needed between operations to undertake deep cleans, and we need to perform more operations to cover the backlog of operations that have built up.”
The report continues: “We use lots of different digital systems across the different hospital sites that are not based on the latest technological developments and do not work together.
“As such, we need investment in our equipment and digital systems so we can offer care in different, more effective and efficient ways that will also have a positive impact on addressing the waiting times and the length of stay in hospital.
“Indeed, a number of our challenges have grown as a direct consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Despite the hugely successful vaccination programme, the health and care system across the Humber is continuing to work hard to support patients who are waiting for treatment, and the increases in waiting lists, waiting times and intensifying pressure across the entire health and care system remain.
“As such, we cannot continue to provide services in the same ways we have done in the past and we need to increase the amount of collaboration between all health and care organisations across the Humber, sharing (wherever possible) the limited resources available to deliver the timely, safe care our patients require.”
The report is set to be discussed at a Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Panel meeting tomorrow (Wednesday 24 November).
