Backlog of appointments at Blackpool Hospital due to COVID-19

Consider the word COVID-19:-

 

Can you imagine anything more disruptive than this dreadful virus that has affected so many and even those who have other health concerns have suffered. 

 

Recent data has revealed a target number of approximately 500 patients have been waiting for over a year for non-emergency surgery at the Blackpool Victoria Hospital because of the corona virus.

 

Pearse Butler, chairman of the board for Blackpool Victoria Hospital, commented on what had been occurring, 

 

“There was a massive backlog  we had been effectively operating for four months as an emergency hospital. There are concerns over meeting waiting time targets not just in Blackpool, but the whole country".

 

Yet when appointments were met and in serious cases operations conducted, some patients were reticent to go under the knife, in fear they could catch the corona virus, but testing procedures had since boosted confidence, the hospital said.

 

Despite this, figures show that only about 75% of cancer patients had started treatment within the target time of 62 days following an urgent referral. Nearly 80 patients had waited more than 104 days. Backlogs in other services were often the cause of delays for cancer patients. The private health sector will be appropriately addressed by the hospital board when it comes to the matter of waiting times. 

 

The board were adamant in explaining that changes to test procedures meant people could isolate for shorter periods before surgery, enabling some short-notice operations.

 

They emphasized the point that there had been successful results due to a recent system for emergency ward appointments, arranged for some patients after they had called the NHS 111 service.

 

Berenice Groves, executive director of operations at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, expressed optimism going forwards, 

 

"We are seeing on average around 14 to 20 patients a day being booked in on appointments. We will see that start to increase."

 

As well as the appointments on the rise the hospital is  intending to double theatres for non-emergencies from three to six  and the  breast cancer screening programme is also due to resume this month.

 

Coronavirus: Blackpool hospital has 500 waiting for routine surgery

 

^Alex Ashworth CCG UK Blogger