AVERAGE WAITING TIME FOR NHS PATIENTS IN NORTH WEST OF 8.1 WEEKS UNDER THREAT

THE old maxim in politics is “if it’s not broke don’t fix it” so it is a disgrace that the government is prepared to gamble with the running of a life and death service says GMB.  The average waiting time for treatment for NHS patients in the North West was 8.1 weeks in May 2010. Liverpool Primary Care Trust (PCT) with an average waiting time of 6.4 weeks in May 2010 had the best record of the 24 PCTs in the region. Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT and Tameside and Glossop PCT with average waiting times of 9.6 weeks in May 2010 had the least good record.

In the North West 93.8% of patients had a hospital appointment within 18 weeks of being referred by their GP. East Lancashire Teaching PCT had the best record with 96.0% of patients being treated within 18 weeks. With 90.5% treated within the 18 weeks Manchester PCT had the least good record on this indicator.  The figures for all 24 PCTs in the region in regard to waiting times and the 18 weeks target are set out in the table below. The analysis was published by GMB, the union for NHS staff. It coincides with comments made by GMB on the Health and Social Care Bill which received its Second Reading in the House of Commons on Monday, 31 January 2011.

The government have already scrapped four targets for NHS patients. This 18 weeks referral to treatment target was abolished by the Tory-Lib Coalition in June 2010. Guaranteed access for patients to primary care doctors within 48 hours has been scrapped. The government has also scrapped the target for accident and emergency patients to be seen within 4 hours. The target for ambulance crews to get to category B callouts within 19 minutes has also been abandoned.  Before the General Election a record 73% of people said they were "satisfied" with the NHS, but the Tory-Lib Coalition is nevertheless proposing wholesale changes.

The Health and Social Care Bill will replace Primary Care Trusts with GP consortiums responsible for purchasing NHS services from the "any willing provider" model in the public or private sector. NHS trusts will have to compete with private companies and with each other, as price competition and EU competition law is introduced into the NHS for the first time. The Government has said it will not bail out NHS trusts that find themselves in difficulty and the NHS Confederation has stated that "closure of existing services will be necessary".

Average waiting time in weeks and percentage of patients treated within 18 weeks by PCT in the North West:-
 

PCT	Average (median) waiting time (in weeks)	% within 18 weeks
North West Strategic Health Authority	8.1	93.8%
Liverpool PCT	6.4	95.4%
Blackburn with Darwen Teaching Care Trust Plus	6.6	95.8%
East Lancashire Teaching PCT	7.0	96.0%
Central Lancashire PCT	7.2	95.1%
Warrington PCT	7.5	93.0%
Western Cheshire PCT	7.7	93.4%
Oldham PCT	7.7	91.9%
Cumbria Teaching PCT	7.8	93.5%
Salford PCT	7.8	94.6%
Knowsley PCT	7.9	93.6%
Bolton PCT	7.9	92.7%
Wirral PCT	8.1	93.4%
North Lancashire Teaching PCT	8.2	94.4%
Trafford PCT	8.2	93.7%
Sefton PCT	8.4	94.7%
Halton and St Helens PCT	8.6	92%
Manchester PCT	8.6	90.5%
Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT	8.8	93.1%
Blackpool PCT	8.9	93.8%
Stockport PCT	9	92.3%
Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT	9.1	95.6%
Bury PCT	9.4	91.8%
Tameside and Glossop PCT	9.6	93%
Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT	9.6	94.8%

Paul McCarthy, GMB Regional Secretary said:- "NHS staff have worked hard to create a health service that we can all be proud of. They’ve nurtured the NHS, developing a public satisfaction higher than the UK has known before. They have delivered massive reductions in the waiting times from the average of over 18 weeks in 1997.  The old maxim in politics is “if it’s not broke don’t fix it” so it is a disgrace that the government is prepared to gamble with the running of a life and death service  Andrew Lansley’s untested experiment, throwing the NHS into cost-cutting competition with private consortiums, is going to strangle the life out of it for ideological reasons.  He has already abolished the target for patients to begin treatment within 18 weeks. This comes on top of scrapping the 4 hour target for A and E patients. He has abolished the 19 minutes target for ambulances to get to patients and has also got rid of the 48 hour guarantee to see a doctor. Getting rid of these targets will make it more difficult to monitor service delivery to patients, which even though service is what the NHS is about. GMB are asking Secretary of State Lansley to put his own job on the line if the service to patients gets worse as most people fear it will."

Waiting times cut for ultrasound scans

PATIENTS who have been referred for ultrasound appointments in the city have had their waiting times slashed from 12 to 4 weeks.  The reduced times have come about following a collaboration between Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust (LCH) and Liverpool PCT which saw additional money invested in order to bring waiting times down. The extra funding has enabled LCH’s Radiology Department at the York Centre on Smithdown Health Park to offer additional evening ultrasound slots. This also gives those who struggle to make daytime appointments due to work commitments the opportunity to be seen at more work-friendly hours.  And the patients are delighted with the new appointment times.

Patient Victoria Turner, 33, from Woolton, said:- “I think the new appointments are great as they mean I don’t have to take time off work to attend an appointment.”

Christine Jones, 56, from West Derby, agreed she said:- “I thought it was brilliant when I learned they had introduced these new times because it doesn’t interfere with your work life or holidays."

Carol McGrath, Radiology Service Manager, said:- “The introduction of these increased appointments has meant a big improvement on the service all round. Not only does it give patient who find it difficult to take time off work another option, it also means that those who might be concerned about their symptoms or lumps can get them checked out as quickly as possible.”

LCH’s Radiography Service provides a high quality, rapid response diagnostic service. Its ultrasound scanning machine is used for a wide range of medical investigations, including general abdominal scans, and gynaecological scans.

Sandpipers is family friendly & it's official!

VITALISE Sandpipers is to be presented with a Promoting Parents Excellence Award in recognition of its family-friendly staff policies.

The popular centre for people with disabilities and carers in Southport’s Marine Parade was notified of its achievement on 12 January and will formally receive its award at a ceremony later this month.

Sandpipers’ assessment was carried out by the Centre for Local Policy Studies at Edge Hill University. The awards are funded by Sefton MBC via the Child Poverty Innovation Pilot scheme from the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

The pilot scheme was set up to “encourage businesses in the Southport area to improve their family friendly policies, and to recognise organisations for their positive contribution to supporting employees with family commitments.”

The aim of the scheme is to encourage working practices that make it easier for employees with family commitments to stay in employment, thereby increasing the family’s income and reducing levels of child poverty.

In the assessment Sandpipers scored highly on its flexible working arrangements, leave arrangements for new parents and other family friendly leave, also its training and support for staff.

Sandpipers Manager, Darren Holloran, said:- “We were so proud to receive this award. Here at Vitalise we realise that our staff are our greatest asset and we’ve worked hard to ensure that they have a good work-life balance, especially those with families. That’s not always easy when we’re looking after guests with complex disabilities, who often need round the clock care. But by listening to our staff and acting on what they’ve told us, we’ve come up with a way of working that keeps everyone happy.”

Vitalise is a national charity providing essential breaks for people with disabilities, visually impaired people, and carers. Vitalise provides short breaks for people with disabilities and carers, with 24 hour nursing care on-call and personal support, at Sandpipers and two other UK Centres. A fourth Centre provides accessible activity breaks for groups of adults and children with disabilities. All of Vitalise’s Centres offer a wide range of activities and excursions.

North West worst hit by council job losses!

NORTH WEST Labour Euro MP and Chair of the European Parliament's Transport Committee Brian Simpson has criticised the Coalition Government for the effect its drastic cuts are having on council jobs and services in the North West. According to calculations by the GMB trade union, 6000 jobs with Lancashire County Council are currently at risk of being made redundant. This is the highest number of job losses of all UK councils, with the North West region overall being the worst affected with nearly 30,000 of the total 150,000 jobs under threat nationally. "Yet again we are seeing the North West region being hit hardest by Westminster cuts. The Tory-LibDem cuts are rapidly coming to light as council redundancies that damage crucial frontline services and livelihoods. The government has started 2011 with unfair VAT and fuel rises that hit the pockets of the poorest hardest. As a former Councillor, I know these 6000 possible job losses will not only affect 6000 livelihoods but will also affect everybody relying on a frontline council service that will be drastically cut or entirely removed." said Mr Simpson, who is a former Member of Merseyside County Council and Warrington Borough Council.