Patients face being sent to back of NHS queue as waiting list reviewed
EVERY patient on NHS hospital waiting lists will be reassessed under a national review, The Daily Telegraph can reveal, with many who have already endured long waits sent to the back of the queue.
Doctors have been told to brace themselves for “anger and distress” when they contact more than 4 million patients waiting for surgery, in an effort to ensure that the most urgent cases are prioritised.
Health officials will embark on the programme amid fears that thousands of patients have seen their health deteriorate due to NHS lockdown delays.
It follows warnings that far too many patients – i ncluding t hose with advanced cancer – were left “in limbo” after treatments were put on hold during the pandemic. Since lockdown, the number of people forced to wait more than a year for treatment has risen more than 50-fold, with 83,203 such waits in July, compared with 1,613 in February.
Those enduring long waits for procedures such as hip and knee operations and heart and cataract surgery, should be categorised in the next three weeks.
Under plans, seen by The Telegraph, NHS trusts will decide which cases should be seen within a month, two months – or left to wait at least three months more. The guidance warns staff that patients, many of whom have suffered long delays, “may become distressed or angry” when contacted.
While the aim is to speed up treatment for those in the most dire need, millions of those who are assigned the lowest priority can expect to wait months, and in some cases even years.
Last week, the Commons health committee expressed concern that a failure to tackle mounting backlogs could see tens of thousands of avoidable deaths this year, including up to 35,000 extra cancer deaths.
Under the plan, patients will be given the option to defer treatment for up to six months if they do not want to go to
‘Understandably some patients may be distressed or angry when contacted about their surgery’
hospital during the pandemic. Discussions should weigh up the risks of delaying treatment, against the patient’s risks if they catch Covid, the need to self-isolate before surgery, and their reduced immunity afterwards, guidance states.
Prof Neil Mortensen, the Royal College of Surgeons of England president, said the review would help ensure the most urgent cases were spotted.
Liam O’toole, the chief executive of Versus Arthritis charity, said it was “imperative” that patients were fully involved in decisions, adding: “It is imperative that any such review be open, transparent, and that patients and clinicians are fully involved in any decisions to their treatment that are made.”
Staff guidance states: “Understandably, some patients may become distressed or angry when contacted about their surgery.” It says patients should be offered support, leaflets on the complaints process if required, and told who to contact if symptoms worsen.
It states: “The project is about making the best mutually agreed decisions with patients and is not an exercise to reduce numbers on waiting lists.” Every patient waiting for planned treatment involving hospital admission should be contacted by Oct 23.
Trusts will later be asked to carry out a similar process for millions waiting for outpatient appointments.
An NHS spokesman said: “The number of operations and procedures taking place has more than doubled since April, and to ensure those with the most urgent needs are prioritised, specialists and their teams will be making contact with all those currently waiting for a non-urgent operation to discuss and assess their condition and preferences.”