Oh look! A squirrel over there!!!!
This NHS success on some waiting times is great news in terms of massive staff effort, I am sorry it’s been reduced to a diversionary tactic here, but please do show us what Johnson’s government policies have done to make it happen. It’s also only the tip of the waiting times iceberg. Pay cuts in real terms will affect NHS staff’s ability to keep this up.
from the article linked to by Janiiee
‘A record 6.6 million people are still waiting for hospital treatment, according to the BBC.
The NHS England chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, said: “It has only been possible because the NHS has continued to reform the way we deliver care, using innovative techniques and adopting pioneering technology like robot surgery, and through building new relationships and mutual aid arrangements across systems to offer patients the opportunity to be transferred elsewhere and get the care they need as quickly as possible.
“The next phase will focus on patients waiting longer than 18 months, building on the fantastic work already done, and, while it is a significant challenge, our remarkable staff have shown that, when we are given the tools and resources we need, the NHS delivers for our patients.”
NHS England’s national director of elective recovery, Sir James Mackey, said: “Reaching this milestone is testament to the hard work of NHS staff across the country, who have treated tens of thousands of the longest waits in the six months since we launched our ambitious recovery plan.
“From dedicated surgery hubs to increase the number of procedures carried out each day, to day case surgeries allowing people to recover in the comfort of their homes, and ensuring treatment transfers can happen for those patients prepared to travel, NHS staff are doing everything possible to bring down long waits for patients even further.”
and in a longer, different article: BBC:
Saffron Cordery, the interim chief executive of NHS Providers which represents hospital trusts, told the BBC: "There is a long way to go with mental health, community and hospital care backlogs, and to relieve pressure on ambulance services."
Cutting cancer diagnosis waiting times and eliminating 78-week waits was now a priority, she said, adding that progress could be "put at risk" if the government did not increase investment in the NHS.
Regarding potential strikes by nurses over pay, Ms Cordery said: "Nobody wants to see industrial action, but what we have to remember is that we have a workforce that has been working flat-out for the past two-and-a-half years, and is now being asked to go the extra mile again to get these waiting lists down."
Nigel Edwards, chief executive of The Nuffield Trust independent health think tank, said: "This is a good achievement - but like getting to base camp, there's quite a mountain to climb in terms of people waiting over a year... and over 78 weeks, which are much bigger numbers than the figure for two-year waits."