NHS waiting list patients could get faster access treatments and prescriptive assistive technologies
Hundreds of thousands of NHS patients who have been waiting the longest for treatment will be offered the opportunity to travel to a different hospital if it means they could be seen sooner and access assistive technologies or mobility equipment via the NHS.
The NHS recently announced that any patient who has been waiting longer than 40 weeks and does not have an appointment within the next eight weeks will be contacted by their hospital via letter, text, or email.
As part of the ambitious NHS elective recovery plan, offers will be sent to up to 400,000 eligible patients who will then be able to submit their details including how far they are willing to travel, 50 miles, 100 miles, or nationally. NHS teams can then identify whether any alternative hospitals have the capacity to see them sooner.
In some instances, the patient’s request will be uploaded to the NHS’ hospital matching platform, the Digital Mutual Aid System, to see if NHS or independent sector providers elsewhere in the country can take on their care.
Amanda Pritchard, NHS Chief Executive, said: “Despite pressure and the huge disruption caused by strikes, NHS staff have made great progress in reducing the longest waits for patients – this new step to offer NHS patients who have been waiting the longest the opportunity to consider travelling for treatment is just another example of how we are introducing new approaches to reduce how long patients wait, while improving the choice and control they have over their own care.
“Giving this extra option to these patients also demonstrates the clear benefits of a single national health service, with staff able to share capacity right across the country.
“So, whether a patient’s care moves to the next town or somewhere further away, it is absolutely right that we make the most of available capacity across the country to continue to reduce the backlogs that have inevitably built up due to the pandemic and provide the best possible service for patients.”
It is estimated that approximately 400,000 patients, five percent of the overall waiting list, meet the criteria and will be contacted by their hospital.
If no alternative hospital agreed with the patient is found within eight weeks of starting the process, the patient will remain with their current provider and keep their position on the waiting list. Some patients will not be eligible if their clinical condition is too complex, making it inappropriate to travel.
Eligible patients will be contacted directly by their NHS trust or independent sector provider and should not contact their GP practice or hospital.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay added: “Empowering people to choose where and when they receive their treatment will help tackle waiting lists and improve access to NHS care.
“From today, those waiting 40 weeks or more will be given more options to speed up treatment, including at hospitals with shorter waiting times or using capacity within the independent sector.
“This is the next step in our plan build a health service around patients and follows on from the roll out of Community Diagnostic Centres, surgical hubs and virtual wards to unlock capacity in the NHS.”
According to NHS Confederation, NHS leaders in England are facing tough choices on which services to cut unless the UK Government provides extra funding to cover the rising costs of industrial action and other cost pressures.