10 months ago
Patients who person spent astatine slightest 10 months connected nan NHS waiting database will beryllium offered curen hundreds of miles away.
Letters, emails and matter messages will beryllium sent to astir 400,000 patients asking if they would beryllium consenting to recreation for faster care.
They will beryllium asked really acold they are consenting to spell – 50 miles, 100 miles aliases nationally – earlier being matched to replacement hospitals that tin spot them sooner. Health leaders opportunity nan move will maximise nan capacity of nan NHS while giving patients much prime and control.
But critics opportunity it is 'not a magic bullet' and could exclude those who consciousness excessively aged aliases sick to travel.
Patients will beryllium eligible if they person been waiting longer than 40 weeks and do not person an assignment scheduled wrong nan adjacent 8 weeks – an estimated 5 per cent of those connected nan grounds 7.75 cardinal waiting list.
Patients who person spent astatine slightest 10 months connected nan NHS waiting database will beryllium offered curen hundreds of miles distant (File image)
The NHS will usage a 'matching platform' launched earlier this twelvemonth to nexus patients to NHS and backstage assemblage hospitals extracurricular their area. If nary replacement infirmary is recovered wrong 2 months, nan diligent will stay pinch their existent supplier and support their position connected nan waiting list.
Amanda Pritchard, main executive of NHS England, said it demonstrated 'the clear benefits of a azygous nationalist wellness service, pinch unit capable to stock capacity correct crossed nan country'.
She added: 'This caller measurement to connection NHS patients who person been waiting nan longest nan opportunity to see travelling for curen is conscionable different illustration of really we are introducing caller approaches to trim really agelong patients wait, while improving nan prime and power they person complete their ain care.
'So, whether a patient's attraction moves to nan adjacent municipality aliases location farther away, it is perfectly correct that we make nan astir of disposable capacity crossed nan state to proceed to trim nan backlogs that person inevitably built up owed to nan pandemic and supply nan champion imaginable service.'
Critics opportunity it is 'not a magic bullet' and could exclude those who consciousness excessively aged aliases sick to recreation (File image)
The latest information shows that astir 397,000 patients person been waiting much than a twelvemonth for treatment, pinch almost 9,000 astatine complete 18 months.Patients will beryllium contacted straight by their NHS spot aliases independent assemblage supplier and should not interaction their GP believe aliases hospital.
Funding and support will beryllium disposable to thief those who whitethorn struggle to travel, specified arsenic taxis aliases hotels for nan aged aliases disabled. However, nan NHS admitted a number of patients will not suffice if their objective information is excessively complex, making it inappropriate to travel.
Rory Deighton of nan NHS Confederation, which represents wellness work employers, said nan move would easiness unit connected immoderate of nan astir strained parts of nan system.
He added: 'Matching request to places pinch capacity is sensible and will beryllium beneficial to those patients who are capable and consenting to travel.
'But wellness leaders will beryllium mindful that this strategy will not activity for everyone arsenic immoderate patients will not consciousness capable aliases comfortable to recreation very acold for their treatment, and others pinch much insignificant wellness complaints successful truth whitethorn for illustration to hold for an assignment to go disposable astatine their section healthcare provider.'
Health Secretary Steve Barclay declared: 'Empowering group to take wherever and erstwhile they person their curen will thief tackle waiting lists and amended entree to NHS care.'
