'unfair' Nhs Wait Lists Revealed In Official Report

More than half of nan wide NHS waiting database for non urgent curen successful England is made up of group of moving property (19 to 64), nan first charismatic heavy dive into inequalities successful waiting lists has found.

The information shows, for those aged 18 to 64, waiting lists for gynaecology are nan biggest.

And women dress up a higher proportionality of those waiting (57%), compared to men, successful each cases wherever activity is recorded.

NHS England officials opportunity nan figures should thief hospitals reside "unfair waits" for planned attraction among nan communities who hold nan longest.

NHS trusts are being asked to usage nan information to understand and trim inequalities faced by patients.

Patients successful nan poorest communities and those from Asian aliases Asian British backgrounds are much apt to hold longer than 18 weeks than immoderate different group, nan study says.

Some 3.1% of patients surviving successful nan astir deprived areas were waiting much than 12 months to statesman curen astatine nan extremity of June compared to 2.7% successful nan slightest deprived.

Figures show:

• 56% of nan wide waiting database is made up of group aged 19 to 64
• a 3rd of those waiting are aged 65 and over
• among complete 65s, ophthalmology has nan top backlog
• women are much apt to beryllium waiting complete 18 weeks for curen than men
• women are besides much apt than men to hold for much than 52 weeks

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: "Sunlight is nan champion disinfectant. Only by being upfront and sparkling a ray connected inequalities tin we statesman to tackle nan problem."

He added that nan precocious announced 10 twelvemonth wellness plan would tackle wellness inequalities by diverting billions of pounds to moving people communities, and supply targeted attraction to each patients wherever they live, via a neighbourhood wellness service.

These centres will beryllium rolled retired first successful places wherever patient life expectancy is lowest, including deindustrialised cities and coastal towns.

Gynaecology has had 1 of nan worst waiting lists crossed nan UK for a number of years.

Prof Ranee Thakar, president of nan Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: "At nan moment, women successful nan astir deprived areas look immoderate of nan longest waits, threatening to entrench existing wellness inequalities.

"Delays tin lead to a request for much analyzable curen and importantly effect women's health, wellbeing, and regular lives."

She added that it has been encouraging to spot hold lists statesman to autumn successful caller months, pinch NHS unit "working tirelessly" to present much appointments.