Hidden Waiting Lists Cause Delays for Patients in England, BBC Report Reveals
An investigation by BBC News has uncovered hidden waiting lists in the English healthcare system that are contributing to delays for patients in need of ongoing care. A published waiting list of 7.6 million patients does not accurately reflect the true scale of the backlog, as it does not include individuals in need of ongoing treatment or those removed from waiting lists prior to beginning treatment.
Patients like Andy Allen, who has wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are waiting months and even years for vital treatments, such as cancer care and spinal treatment. Cathy Yelf, the chief executive of the Macular Society charity, expressed concern over the delays, calling the situation a “tragedy” as patients fear losing their sight.
The official waiting list tracks patients waiting to begin treatment, with approximately 1.4 million treatments recorded as beginning each month on average. However, more than 3 million other appointments and treatments are carried out for patients receiving ongoing care, and the extent of delays in this category is largely unknown.
Karen Hyde of Insource, a company that helps manage waiting lists, highlighted the issue, stating that hospitals frequently ignore guidance to return patients facing unnecessary delays to the waiting list. The consequence is that many patients are left unaccounted for, potentially facing long waits for treatment.
Additionally, patients like Margaret Weston with basal cell carcinoma have been removed from the waiting list due to mix-ups, leading to further delays and uncertainty regarding their treatment.
With the healthcare system struggling to keep up with the extensive backlog of ongoing care patients, leaders from various health organizations have expressed concern over the impact these delays are having on patients, emphasizing the importance of better monitoring and oversight.
The NHS England spokeswoman stated that national guidance is clear and provides mechanisms for patients facing delays to be added back onto the waiting list, ensuring they are included in published figures.
Labour shadow health secretary Wes Streeting and officials from organizations such as Macmillan Cancer Support and the British Heart Foundation have all echoed the urgent need to address these hidden waits to prevent irreversible harm to patients’ health.
If you are being affected by delayed ongoing care treatments or have experienced difficulties in the healthcare system, share your experiences with BBC News by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk or visiting the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your commentary.
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