Over 120,000 treated since start of pioneering treatment centre programme, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 08 Jan 2005 - 0:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

UK - Treatment Centre success contributing to lowest ever waiting list since comparable records began - Reid -

More than 10,000 alone treated at revolutionary hospital on wheels -

More than 120,000 patients have been treated since the start of the government's pioneering treatment centre programme, at a rate up to eight times faster than traditional NHS providers, according to a new report published by Health Secretary John Reid today.

More than 10,000 of these have been treated at the ground-breaking "hospitals on wheels", the mobile cataract surgery units which were opened by John Reid in February last year. These are revolutionary surgical treatment centres which travel around the country slashing waiting lists for cataract operations in the areas which they visit.

The report lays out the progress of the pioneering treatment centre programme, launched in April 2002 as a key part of the government's drive to cut waiting times and introduce choice for patients.

Mr Reid said the success of the programme had helped contribute to a massive fall in the numbers of people waiting for operations. Figures published today show the lowest number of people on the waiting list since comparable data was first collected in September 1987.

The report flags up achievements such as:

Over 120,000 patients have so far been treated in the combined Treatment Centre programme.

-- Treatment Centres carry out operations up to eight times faster than traditional NHS services. The mobile cataract units carry out 37 cataract operations per day, six days a week - standard NHS providers carry out about five operations per day. This higher rate is achievable because the units are able to concentrate on a single procedure in a modern, purpose built unit.

-- Speeding up access - In the time that the centres in the programme have been treating patients, between April 2003 and October 2004, NHS waiting lists reduced by around 144,000 and the numbers of patients waiting over six months for inpatient or day case treatment fell by around 126,000. Waiting times for cataract patients are now being slashed to a maximum of three months (four years ahead of target). This is in part due to the TC programme.

-- Treatment Centres are developing new staff roles - including peri-operative specialist practitioners, advanced nurse practitioners/advisers and health care assistant (HCA) technicians in radiology, ophthalmology and surgery.

-- They are helping the government to offer all cataract patients the choice of at least two providers when they are told they need an operation, ahead of choice of 4-5 providers being introduced for all patients from December.

The report paves the way for the government's announcement of the second wave of IS procurement due later this year by showcasing to patients - and prospective bidders - the standard of care and fast service available in treatment centres.

Publishing the report, Health Secretary John Reid said:

"This report outlines the impressive progress made by the Treatment Centre programme to date and helps explain the continuing fall in waiting lists.

"Treatment Centres play an important role in speeding up access to treatment for patients and improving quality of care and patients' experience. This is shown by the mobile cataract chain treating 10,000 patients in less than 11 months - operating at a rate almost 8 times faster than traditional NHS services. This higher rate is achievable because the units are able to concentrate on a single procedure in a modern, purpose built unit.

"But the Treatment Centre programme is also key in delivering our commitment, outlined in the NHS Plan, to offer patients increased choice. From December 2005, patients in England will be offered a choice of four to five providers at the point that their GP decides treatment is necessary. From December 2008 this choice will be expanded offering patients a free choice of providers.

"And today we're extending this even further. Already patients who are likely to wait more than six months for elective surgery can choose to have faster treatment at an alternative provider. From later this month (January 05), all cataract patients will have the choice of at least two providers when they are told they need an operation, ahead of choice of 4-5 providers being introduced for all patients from December."

Mr Reid said that new figures published today confirmed the impact of faster surgery such as that performed in Treatment Centres. Figures for November last year show that the waiting list stood at 844,000 - a fall of 13,000 since October.

He added:

"Today's waiting list figure represents the lowest number of people on the waiting list since comparable data was first collected in September 1987.

"Waiting times are continuing to fall thanks to the dedication and hard work of NHS staff and the investment and capacity we are adding to the NHS, such as that provided by Treatment Centres. Today's figures show that 100,000 fewer people are waiting longer than 6 months for admission compared to October 2003. We must continue to work hard to further reduce waiting times, but this is fantastic progress by the NHS."

The mobile cataract treatment centres are run by independent provider Netcare and have been touring the country since February 2004 - visiting the SHAs in Kent and Medway, Surrey and Sussex, Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Somerset and Dorset, South West Peninsula, Cumbria and Lancashire, and Cheshire and Merseyside.

They have produced dramatic waiting list reductions in all these areas. For example, waits in the South West Peninsula have been reduced to less than three months, compared to 11 months in May 2003. When the units began work in Cumbria and Lancashire, waits were nine months - this has now been slashed to under three.

In addition to the main IS Treatment Centre activity, in May 2004 the Department announced two supplementary contracts with the private sector to focus on mainly orthopaedic procedures. These contracts make use of existing spare capacity in independent hospitals in England and to date over 9,000 patients have been treated under this programme. Together with the 122,000 procedures done in the Treatment Centre programme, this means that over 130,000 patients have now received treatment in the centres and with the supplementary contracts.

Notes to editor

1. Treatment Centres are streamlined units that provide safe, fast pre-booked surgery and diagnostic tests for patients. They often, though not exclusively, concentrate on procedures with the highest historic waiting times for treatment, for instance in orthopaedics and ophthalmology.

2. Since 2002, 29 NHS-run Treatment Centres have opened, spread across England. Another 17 NHS-run Treatment Centres are in development, most of which will be open by the summer of 2005.

3. There is currently one fixed and two mobile Independent Sector Treatment Centres are fully operational, with interim services being provided on three further sites across England. There are expected to be a total of 34 IS schemes with the majority will be fully operational during 2005 across England.

4. Copies of the report - TREATMENT CENTRES: DELIVERING FASTER, QUALITY CARE AND CHOICE FOR NHS PATIENTS are available on the DH website via the above link.

5. Media enquiries only call 020 7210 5301 / 7210 5896

This is a Press Release from the UK Dept of Health

• Additional
• References
• Citations