NHS must undergo massive change to meet new waiting list target
pharmafile | December 20, 2006 | News story | |Â Â Â
The NHS will have to change radically and rapidly in order to meet a new government target to reduce waiting lists.
Cutting waiting lists for operations has been a key priority for Labour since it came to power in 1997, but until now, it has limited targets to specific parts of the 'patient journey' through the NHS system.
This has meant that while some sections of the journey have shortened, others have remained as long or have even lengthened. But now the government has set a single target of 18 weeks for the whole process – from a patient seeing their GP to being treated – to be achieved by the end of 2008.
From January, NHS bodies will have to work together to measure the time taken for all its patients to receive treatment after seeing their GP, or referral to treatment (RTT) times in Department of Health jargon.
Figures show that, on average, 70-80% of non-admitted patients and 35% of admitted patients were seen within 18 weeks. But the statistics also show that, in particular, the NHS needs to transform the way it currently deals with those patients admitted to hospitals.
Launching the new target, health minister Andy Burnham said the RTT figures, available for the first time, would help managers and clinicians change current working methods in order to cut waiting times.
"Doing more of the same is not the answer – we know that traditional tactics to reduce waiting times will not be enough this time. The NHS, and clinicians in particular, need to think innovatively about the way services are provided, embracing some of the new commissioning levers such as practice-based commissioning to drive change in clinical practice and improvements in the patient experience."
In order for the NHS to meet the targets, general practices around the country will have to take a lead in simplifying and speeding up the patient journey, using money provided through practice-based commissioning (PBC).
There are numerous obstacles which could prevent some areas hitting the target, including the slow uptake of PBC, lack of co-operation between NHS organisations and efforts by some trusts to delay operations to help reduce deficits – another key target for 2007/8.
