NHS staff in the West Midlands hailed for tackling backlogs
NHS staff in the West Midlands have been hailed for almost eliminating the longest waits for scans, checks, surgical procedures and other routine treatments.
Bosses said the target is the first milestone in the NHS Elective Recovery Plan which set out how the service would tackle the backlogs built up amid Covid-19.
The push was focused on patients waiting two years or more by the end of July, except those who chose to wait longer, were complex cases or did not want to travel.
Now figures show the number of those who have waited over this period in acute hospitals in the Midlands has dropped by over 89 per cent – a reduction of 6,415.
The waiting lists reached a peak of 7,183 in January this year but has been brought down through the hard work of NHS staff, with 768 waiting at the end of July.
Dr Nigel Sturrock, regional medical director at NHS England in the Midlands, said: "Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our staff in the Midlands the NHS has delivered the first milestone in our Elective Recovery Plan.
"It has only been possible because the NHS has continued to reform the way we deliver care, using innovative techniques and adopting innovative new practices such as new perioperative care units to reduce the need for an intensive care bed, 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.
“We knew the waiting list would initially continue to grow as more people come forward for care who may have held off during the pandemic, but the NHS is determined to make the best possible use of the additional investment to address the backlogs and provide timely, expert care to as many people as possible, and virtually eliminating two-year waits shows we are continuing to make good progress for patients.”
“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.”
