Julian welcomes investigation into waiting times at York Hospital Trust
September 3, 2014
Today Julian has voiced his support for the NHS regulator Monitor opening an inquiry into why local hospitals have repeatedly missed health targets.
It has emerged that the York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which runs hospitals in York, Scarborough, Bridlington, Whitby, Malton and Selby, has failed to meet Government A&E waiting time targets for the fifth time in two years. There is also evidence that some patients are waiting too long to be seen for cancer treatment once they have been referred to a specialist by their GP.
The Trust, which runs York Hospital and three other treatment centres across the city, has a plan in place to cut waiting times and improve performance in A&E and cancer treatment. However, the NHS regulator Monitor is concerned that the plan will take too long to rectify the problem. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, the regulator’s main duty is to protect and promote the interests of patients using the National Health Service and other public sector organisations.
Welcoming today’s investigation, Julian said “I have been surveying my constituents about the quality of local healthcare for a number of years and the latest feedback has been mixed. Whilst the majority of respondents have been largely satisfied with the quality of care they received, it has been clear that waiting times are a major issue. The current delays are frankly not good enough as I have made clear to the Hospital Trust. I have already been in contact with representatives at Monitor and I will be fully supporting their efforts to get to the bottom of why these delays are occurring.
“It is absolutely vital for patients across York and the wider region that our local hospitals consistently deliver the highest quality healthcare. Sadly this investigation shows this is not currently the case and I will do everything within my power to help, both as a local MP and as someone whose family also relies on the service. Patient care must be championed at all times and it is absolutely essential that we deliver the very best healthcare that locally we have come to expect and rightly deserve.”
