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Clinical Negligence Solicitors

Waiting times for NHS operations to increase in a “trade off” for other services (4 April 2017)

Date: 04/04/2017
Duncan Lewis, Clinical Negligence Solicitors, Waiting times for NHS operations to increase in a “trade off” for other services

Growing pressures in the NHS mean that there can no longer be an 18-week guarantee for operations considered to be of “low clinical value”.

Simon Stevens, boss of NHS England, has said that patients will be facing longer waits for operations in order to allow for improvement in other areas. Meanwhile, GPs have been encouraged to reduce how many patients they refer to hospitals and instead make use of alternatives such as physiotherapy in order to reduce waiting lists. These changes follow a cap on spending for new drugs and a review of funding for “low value” medicines.

Patients who are waiting for a hospital operation are supposed to be seen within 18 weeks, but there are reportedly over 360,000 patients on the waiting list who have waited longer. Although Stevens defends this decision, saying that it could lead to hundreds of thousands fewer patients being referred to hospitals, Caroline Adams from Age UK has criticised the change for the negative implications it has on older people and their ability to maintain their independence.

The Royal College of Surgeons in England (RCSE) has accused the NHS of “waving the white flag on the 18 week target”. President of RCSE, Clair Marx, believes the delays could have serious consequences, and patients will be left in pain for extended periods of time before finally receiving the treatment they need.

Rebecca Thomas, Director of Clinical Negligence at Duncan Lewis Solicitors states:

“The 18 week guarantee for certain operations are in effect, being scrapped. The NHS should not scrap one target in order to allow them to meet another target. This will inevitably result in prolonged periods of pain for those in need of such operations with the result that they will be unable to recuperate and return to work for extended periods. The Royal College of Surgeons of England are right to be concerned”.

Rebecca Thomas is a Director of Clinical Negligence at Duncan Lewis. Rebecca has over 20 years’ experience in her field and represents clients in a wide range of cases including claims involving cosmetic and dental negligence, surgical and orthopaedic injuries arising from delay, misdiagnosis or negligent spinal surgery, gastrointestinal and ophthalmic surgery.

Duncan Lewis Clinical Negligence Department

The Duncan Lewis Clinical Negligence team has significant experience acting in a vast array of claims including accident and emergency failures, GP negligence claims, misdiagnosed fractures and other medical conditions and wrongful death claims. They also act for children and adults who have suffered profound and permanent brain, spinal or neurological injuries and associated disabilities as a consequence of failings in medical care in both NHS and private hospitals.

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