Surgery waits at city’s hospitals are among the longest in the country

PATIENTS in need of general surgery at Leicester’s hospitals face some of the longest waiting times in the country, research shows.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust patients had an average wait of 53 weeks, according to data from the NHS, Allianz Worldwide Care and Newsweek.

Researchers looked at data for the UK’s 50 most populous cities and compared their performances.

The waiting time in Leicester was the fourth-worst.

The shortest average wait, in Oxford, was five weeks.

The trust said it continues to face “significant pressures” as it and others across the country recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Many operations were cancelled or postponed due to Covid-19, which has led to longer waiting times.

The trust said it was considering using alternative locations for some procedures in order to help reduce waiting times for all patients needing surgery.

It has added extra weekend theatre lists and two mobile theatres for some patients.

Patients who have been waiting a long time have been contacted and suitable treatment options can be explored, it said.

Jon Melbourne, chief operating officer at Leicester’s hospitals, said: “Ongoing challenges as the trust continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic mean that some patients are waiting longer than we would like for surgery. For that we apologise.

“While we continue to face significant pressures, we remain committed to reducing waiting times for patients and are exploring all avenues to help people get the surgery they need in a safe and timely way.”