Hospital waiting lists come down

Figures released by the NHS Exec-utive Northern and Yorkshire show the number of people waiting for operations has dropped from 2,749 in March last year to 2,582 in March this year. The report also reveals that there are no current patients who have been waiting more than a year for an operation.

However, the trust has failed to meet its planned target of 2,000 patients on the waiting list by March this year.

Although the numbers waiting for general and oral surgery are lower than the target set, the number of patients waiting for treatment in urology, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, gynaecology and ear, nose and throat departments are all above the targets set.

Since the numbers waiting hit a peak of 4,488 in April 1998 the figure has fallen by almost 2,000 by March this year.

Deputy Chief Executive Janet Crouch says: "We are very pleased that we have reduced our waiting list by 2,000, which is the greatest proportional reduction in the Northern and Yorkshire region."

Mrs Crouch says the trust is currently investigating ways of reducing the waiting list in out-patients.

Over the Northern and Yorkshire region cuts to hospital waiting lists exceeded a government target by almost 7,000. At the end of March 128,204 patients from the region's 13 health authorities were waiting for treatment - 6,803 fewer than Health Secretary Frank Dobson's target of 135,007.

The number of people waiting more than a year for an operation also dropped to 541, the lowest figure for any of the eight NHS regions in England.

Tony Baldasera, Head of Waiting Lists at the Northern and Yorkshire regional office of the NHS Executive, says: "The improvements in waiting lists over the past year are a credit to the commitment, dedication and sheer hard work of all staff. We have been able to reduce the number of patients waiting over 12 months for their operations."

by over two thirds.'

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