Rise in patients sent to Walsall Manor by GPs
Under pressure Walsall Manor was faced with more than 630 referral appointments from GPs in a month – an increase of 15 per cent, latest figures have shown.
It meant the hospital failed to meet the national 93 per cent target of making sure first outpatient appointment within two weeks in October.
It is the first time Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust slipped below 94 per cent this year and bosses and saw 132 breaches in the month.
Bosses have attributed this to capacity issues, patient choice and incorrect referrals. Those which were not processed as fast-tracked were resolved.
Of those not seen within 14 days, a total of 97 per cent were within 28 days, according to statistics to a meeting of the trust board which was meeting today.
The report says: "This is the first time the trust has failed to achieve this target.
"A total number of 637 appointments were attended in October, this is a 15 per cent increase in activity compared with September.
"There were 132 breaches reported which is a significant increase when compared to the average number of 25 per month so far this financial year."
Figures for November are still being finalised but it is anticipated they will be back towards 94 per cent.
It comes as it emerged last week that up to one in six patients waited more than four hours in A&E accident and emergency at the Manor as it fell short of government targets.
The trust was recently fined more than £360,000 by Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group for failing to reach the national of seeing 95 per cent of people within four hours from April to October.
But new figures released by NHS England have revealed that the Trust dipped as low as 83.3 per cent during the space of one week last month and the highest weekly figure for November reached just 90.8 per cent.
Bosses at the hospital have been told to reduce emergency admissions by 3.2 per cent as part of £24m funding plans.
Steps are being taken to address the problem, with up 100 extra nurses being recruited and there are long-term multi-million pounds plans to revamp the department.
The trust say progress is being taken to reduce long waits. Chief executive Richard Kirby said in his monthly update report: "We continue to work hard with clinical teams and colleagues in social care to address this issue."
