James Duddridge , Member of Parliament for Rochford and Southend East, has requested waiting time figures from Southend University Hospital Trust, following a damning government report showing that waiting times in England have increased between 45% and 57% in the last two years.
A Department of Health report published today reveals that the number of patients, for whom English commissioners are responsible, waiting over 13 weeks at the end of December 2009 was 57,600, an increase of 18,000 (45.3%) from December 2008. Additionally, the number of patients, for whom English commissioners are responsible, waiting over 8 weeks at the end of December 2009 was 74,100, an increase of 26,900 (57.0%) from December 2008.
Concerned at the Department of Health report, James then tried to find statistics for waiting times at Southend University Hospital Trust. The most recent comprehensive figures available on their website are from September 2006. Some statistics are available for August 2009 but these only show one month’s worth of departmental ‘compliance with relevant waiting time targets’, and no mention of what those targets are.
Speaking this morning, James said:
“The figures published in today’s Department of Health report demonstrate huge failings in the government’s commitment to cut NHS waiting times. A 50% increase in waiting times in England, over a period of just two years, is shocking.”
James continued:
“I think the people of Southend deserve to know the waiting time figures for their hospital and have these figures easily available in the public domain. I will be requesting these figures under the Freedom of Information Act, but it should be easier for the public to find out how critical services in their area are performing.”
29 January 2009