More patients waiting longer than a year for surgery than in 1997

Sunday 23 December 2001 20:00 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The proportion of patients waiting longer than a year for an operation has risen in more than half of health authorities since Labour came to power, figures released last night reveal.

The proportion of patients waiting longer than a year for an operation has risen in more than half of health authorities since Labour came to power, figures released last night reveal.

The Conservatives seized on the figures, which show that the percentage of patients waiting more than 12 months had risen in 50 of the 95 health authorities in England since 1997. The figures, revealed in a parliamentary written answer by John Hutton, the Minister of State for Health, also show large disparities in waiting-list performances between different parts of the country.

In West Surrey Health Authority, more than one in 10 patients have to wait longer than 12 months for an operation, while in Dorset only 0.1 per cent are left hanging on beyond 12 months. In West Sussex, 9.3 per cent must wait at least a year.

In some cases, the increases in the numbers of people waiting a year or more has been sharp. In south and west Devon, the proportion of patients waiting 12 months or more went from 0.7 per cent in 1997 to 6.6 per cent in August, the latest figures available. In east Kent, the proportion went from 0.3 to 6.9 per cent.

Liam Fox, the shadow Health Secretary, blamed the increase on government mismanagement of care homes, leading to hospital "bed-blocking". He said: "The Government was warned that its handling of this would lead to widespread home closures and bed losses and that is exactly what had happened."

The figures follow last week's damning report from the National Audit Office, which showed that managers at nine hospital trusts had "fiddled" waiting lists to disguise the number of very long delays.

Responding to yesterday's figures, West Sussex Health Authority said the high percentage of over-75 year olds in the area increased demand.

A spokeswoman for Dorset Health Authority said staff had developed a close relationship with social services to counter hospital bed-blocking and ensure patients had places to go such as community hospitals and care homes. Monthly checks on the waiting list and the use of the private sector had helped keep waiting times down, she said.

The worst authorities (as a percentage of patients waiting more than a year for in-patient treatment) are: West Surrey, 10.9 per cent; Croydon, 9.6 per cent; West Sussex, 9.3 per cent; East Surrey, 8.7 per cent; Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham, 8.5 per cent.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in