61 patients waited more than two years for surgery says report

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Monday, 6 September 2021 08:33

By Alex Moore - Local Democracy Reporter

At least 61 patients from around Shropshire have waited more than two years for surgery, a report says.

Governors at the county’s NHS Clinical Commissioning Group will hear the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital have 20 patients over 104 weeks between them, while Oswestry’s Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital has 41 such cases.

Performance Director Julie Davies adds that RJAH also has a number of extra patients who were transferred from North Wales having already waiting more than a year.

She writes that the county’s health system is drawing up plans to eliminate two-year waits in all but the most complex cases by April 2022. The Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin CCG Governing Body will discuss her report, on the recovery of elective surgery, when it meets on Wednesday, September 8.

“Elective recovery is continuing but coming under increasing pressure as Covid-19 hospitalisation levels and other emergency pressures have recently increased,” Dr Davies writes.

“The current position, as at August 26, for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin is that SaTH has 20 patients who have waited over 104 weeks.

“Seven have currently chosen to wait and, of the remaining 13 patients, five have treatment dates booked.

“RJAH have 41 English patients, 34 of which are spinal, over 104 weeks. Thirty-one of the 34 have been given dates.

“The trust also has a cohort of Welsh long waiters which includes a number of patients transferred from Betsi Cadwaladr [University Health Board] when they had already waited over 52 weeks.”

“The system is currently working on a plan to have no more patients waiting more than 104 weeks by the end of March with the exception of complex spinal patients where capacity is particularly limited, both regionally and nationally.”