By Northeast Lincolnshire NHS trusts cite ‘big progress’ as waiting times fall
The reports have said no patients should be waiting more than two years for elective NHS treatment, by the end of July.
Hospital trusts have said they have made huge progress in cutting the numbers down for those facing the longest waits.
At the end of January, the number waiting more than two years was 22,694, but that had fallen to 3,548 by the start of this month.
Northern Lincolnshire And Goole NHS Foundation Trust, representing, Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby, still had one who needed to start treatment at the start of July.
The figure was down from two in the week ending June 26, but the same number as in the week ending January 30, according to the figures from NHS England.
At the end of June, the NHS was hopeful of virtually eliminating two-year waits by the end of July. It announced that those still on the waiting list were asked would they be prepared to travel for treatment.
The scheme had seen more than 400 patients say they would be prepared to travel, of which around 140 have been booked in to get their surgery at a different hospital.
Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive of the NHS said: “As happened around the world, Covid backlogs inevitably built up as hospitals here treated more than 750,000 people with the virus as well as caring for many more in the community.
“Millions who did not seek help earlier in the pandemic are now coming forward, but thanks to the NHS staff’s hard work, we have made big progress on the longest waits despite Omicron and difficult winter.
“As part of the biggest and most ambitious catch-up programme in NHS history, staff are now on track to virtually eliminate two-year waiters by the end of July. One of the benefits of the NHS is that hospitals can work together to bring covid backlogs down together and so if people can and want to be treated quicker elsewhere in the country, NHS staff are ensuring that it can happen.
“Once again NHS staff are demonstrating the agility, resilience, and compassion that shows when they are given the tools and resources they need, they deliver for our patients.”
A Level 4 heat-health alert, could see more struggle for the NHS as the weather has been issued with increased risk to health.
Ambulance services are on their highest alert level as handovers at A&Es are taking longer.
