http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02 ... -warnings/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
NHS brings in three month minimum waiting times despite warnings patients will suffer
atients will be forced to endure pain, disability and could even see their lives cut short by increasing waiting times for routine operations under measures aimed to cut costs, surgeons have warned.
NHS officials have introduced new limits which mean patients in some parts of the country will be made to wait at least three months for routine surgery, such as hip operations and cardiac procedures.
The Royal College of Surgeons last night attacked the move, raising fears that other parts of the country could follow suite in a desperate attempt to cut costs and push spending into a new financial year.
The measures, which have been introduced in Lincolnshire, mean instead of waiting an average of seven and a half weeks for operations, patients will have to wait at least a month longer before they can have any routine operations. Cancer surgery and emergency cases are excluded from the restrictions.
Other areas have previously discussed introducing such measures, but have held off, after they were met with a backlash from patients groups and surgeons.
The only area which previously tried to bring in a minimum waiting time ditched the policy in November after it was widely condemned.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough clinical commissioning group (CCG) abandoned the plans after just two months having projected they would save £600,000.
But Freedom of Information disclosures reveal that NHS South West Lincolnshire CCG has now introduced such measures.
Andrew Lansley banned minimum waiting times in 2011 Credit: Heathcliff O'Malley
Professor Neil Mortensen, vice president of the Royal College of Surgeons, urged health officials to think again, warning that forcing patients to endure ever longer waits would mean conditions would worsen, in some cases cutting lives short.
“Delaying elective treatment unnecessarily not only subjects patients to excessive pain and discomfort, but can also allow certain conditions to deteriorate, becoming life-limiting or even life-threatening,” the senior surgeon warned.
“We recognise the significant financial pressures facing some CCGs,” he said.
“However introducing an arbitrary minimum waiting time for surgery is unlikely to save money in the long term and raises serious professional and ethical issues.”
He urged NHS England to step in and tell the CCG that minimum waiting times were not acceptable.
“We are worried this is the thin end of the wedge, that other areas are likely to follow these measures, in an extremely short sighted attempt to save money in the short term.
“These operations will still happen, it’s just an attempt to push the spending into another year,” Prof Mortensen said.
As a result, too many patients would be left in “unrelenting pain” and misery.
“Some of these situations are appallingly painful,” he said.
The restrictions affect patients due to have operations at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, Ramsay Healthcare, and the Orthopaedics & Spine Specialist Hospital.
Joyce Robins, Patient Concern
Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK said: “There should be no place in the NHS for minimum waiting times for surgery - which are sure to condemn people in real medical need to additional misery and pain.”
“If you need an operation you are likely to be in a lot of discomfort at the very least and restricted in what you can do. Delaying surgery could cause a condition to worsen and make the operation more difficult. For older people it may threaten their ability to go on living independently - a terrible price for anyone to pay.”
In 2011 then health secretary, Andrew Lansley, banned primary care trusts from imposing minimum waiting times for routine surgery. Wigan Borough CCG and Trafford CCG have said they are considering such moves.
Jonathan Ashworth, shadow health secretary, said: “These minimum waits for operations will mean patients waiting longer and longer in pain and distress. Given health bosses in Lincolnshire are restricting patient access to timely operations in this way and we know other CCGs have considered this we need an urgent explanation as to why national guidelines have been relaxed to allow this.