Recent figures released by the Department of Health reveal that waiting lists grew by 61% in the past year, with hundreds waiting more than a year to be offered treatment. 

With pressure from the Government to save £20bn over the next four years, many managers within the NHS are struggling to ensure patient care is not affected by the spending cuts. 

Figures released by the Department of Health has lead Labour to claim that the NHS is “going backwards under the Tories.”

Despite efforts by mangers ensure patient care is not affected by the spending cuts, 11,857 people in June had waited half a year to receive treatment, up from 7,360 from the same time last year.

Although the Government promised to protect frontline services, the reverse appears to be happening. One hospital trust in Kingston, London had announced earlier this year that 500 jobs would go as part of its plan to become a foundation trust, yet 2,314 patients have been waiting more than a year to begin treatment. 

Dr Mark Porter, chairman of the BMA’s consultants committee said, “Trusts are having to make huge cost savings as demand for services continue to grow. The NHS is being asked to do more with fewer resources, and it was always likely there would be an impact on waiting times.”

A spokesperson for Unison said, “It was proof positive that if you start cutting staff there’s a direct impact on patients.”

With more patients now waiting longer for treatment, could see a rise in patients taking legal action to force Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to abide by the NHS constitution which gives patients a right to be seen within 18 weeks of referral by their GP. 

The latest findings show that about one in three PCTs in England are not hitting the target of 90% of patients to be seen within 18 weeks. The latest figures shows that 31,483 patients were waiting longer than 18 weeks to get treatment at hospital, up 9,063 on the figure from May 2010 when the coalition government was formed.

John Healey, Labour’s shadow health secretary, said, “The NHS is starting to go backwards again under the Tories. Instead of concentrating efforts on improving services for patients, ministers have spent a wasted year forcing through their reckless and damaging NHS reorganisation.”

However, the Department of Health countered Labour’s argument and pointed out that the NHS is keeping to the target of 90% of NHS patients to be seen within 18 weeks. Health minister Simon Burns, said, “Average waiting times are low and remain stable. The vast majority of patients still receive treatment within 18 weeks.” 

Figures released earlier in August showed that despite the drop in overall A&E attendance, the number of patients actually waiting more than fours hours has almost doubled in the last year. And the number of people waiting more than six weeks for key NHS tests has almost quadrupled in the last year, although more tests were carried out. 

Mike Farrar, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said, “The NHS made huge progress on waiting times in recent years and nobody wants to see those hard-won gains lost.”

“Our polling of NHS leaders has already shown 53% were worried that patient access, which includes waiting times, would suffer over the next 12 months. This data is further evidence that patient access will be stretched as the financial situation gets increasingly pressured.”

Sarah Tedford, chief operating officer for Kingston Hospital NHS Trust, said, “The hospital had carried out a major overhaul of the way it handled waiting lists after discovering a problem.”

“We would like to make it very clear that these delays are unacceptable and would like to apologise to those who have been affected by this. Whilst over three quarters of our patients are being treated within 18 weeks (in August) we are very sorry for the delays some have experienced. We would like to reassure patients that as soon as this came to out attention, we immediately took action. Over the next few months we plan to be treating extra patients to bring our waiting times down to within 18 weeks.”

As hospitals across the UK continue to struggle to meet budgetary constraints set by the government, the likelihood of further redundancies within the NHS is set to continue. 

With hospitals such as Kingston in London where 500 jobs have already gone this year, further cuts in staffing numbers will have a negative effect on patient care in England. The number of patients already waiting longer than 18-weeks to be treated will only increase. 

As managers struggle to maintain patient care and meet the government’s target to cut costs, MPP Locums, understands the pressures managers face by providing quality healthcare professionals throughout the UK, whenever and wherever the demands are needed. 

Established over 10 years ago, MPP Locums is an approved supplier of locum doctor jobs, doctor jobs to the NHS under the National Locum contract starting 1st July for the next three years. MPP Locums is regulated by the care Quality Commission and The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA).

MPP Locums is one of the largest and fastest growing specialist recruitment agencies in the UK. 

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