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Friday 11 March 2011

Patients Association warning on operations

The Patients Association has asked trusts to compare the number of elective operations and the waiting times for elective operations from 2009 with 2010 and found that 11,000 fewer operations were performed.

In response, a Department of Health spokesperson said:

"There is no justification for asserting that quality of care is slipping. Official figures show that the NHS is delivering more for patients and that waiting times are stable.

"Our plans will improve care for patients. Survival rates for conditions - like bowel cancer - need to improve. That’s why we are modernising the NHS to focus on improving the entire patient pathway, not just a narrow part of it, so that people live longer, healthier lives.

"Our modernisation plans will ensure, for first time, that every provider of NHS services will have a duty to continuously improve the quality of the service they provide. Doctors and nurses, not bureaucrats will be responsible for managing care on behalf of their patients, so services will respond better to patients’ needs. And we are equipping patients with information that matters to them".

Background

According to Hospital Episode Statistics data there were:

  • 41,863 hip operations between April to October 2010. In 2009, there were 39,114. Waiting times have gone up by one day;
  • 45,463 knee replacement operations between April to October 2010. In 2009, there were 43,454. Again, mean waiting times have gone up by one day; and
  • 200,379 cataract operations between April to October 2010. In 2009, there were 197,835. Waiting times are the same.
     

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