News from East Midlands Labour

Shortest hospital waiting times ever in Nottingham

The NHS now has the shortest waiting times since its records began, Labour Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced today.

New data shows that in Nottingham and across England the NHS has met its target to treat patients within a maximum of 18 weeks from referral by their GP – an achievement which was unimaginable 12 years ago.

In March 1997, there were over 18,860 people on the waiting list for inpatient treatment at the hospitals which now make up Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. Today, nobody has to wait more than 18 weeks for treatment, and most waits are much shorter than this.

Alan Johnson MP, Labour’s Health Secretary, said:

“Twelve years ago it was not uncommon for patients to have to wait well over 18 months for an operation. Achieving the shortest waits since NHS records began is a tremendous achievement for staff and I congratulate them for all their hard work. Meeting the standard nationally five months before it came into effect, shows the commitment of the whole health service to improving patients’ experiences.

“This has improved the lives of millions of people. Every year the NHS carries out 60,000 hip operations, in the last two years the waiting time for this procedure has fallen from around 30 weeks to 12 weeks. It’s not just patients that benefit from this, clinicians also value the difference it makes to the quality of care they provide.”

Other news from East Midlands Labour

• Minister joins Mums and Dads across the East Midlands to Save Our Sure Start - 17 March 2010
• New figures reveal Car Srappage Scheme's success in the East Midlands - 15 January 2010
• It would be great to see "football coming home to Nottingham" - 17 December 2009