NHS Lothian to take steps to reduce waiting times

To reduce its backlog in operation waiting times, NHS Lothian plans to recruit around 250 new theatre staff.

This plan was outlined in the local health board’s annual review and follows revelations earlier this year that waiting times had been manipulated by listing patients as “unavailable”. It is part of a £10 million strategy to reduce the patient backlog, which it was estimated could be up to 500 by the New Year if contingency plans were not made.

The board anticipates that some patients may have to be sent to other health boards in Scotland or, in a few cases, to Europe for surgical procedures if it is to meet new 12 week targets dictated by legislation taking effect on 1^st October. This is despite the fact that the new surgeons and extra nursing and health staff will mean that theatres can operate in the evening and at weekends.

According to NHS Lothian Chief Executive Tim Davison, who was appointed in July after two months as the interim Acting Chief Executive, the board is making progress in reducing waiting times for treatment but will not become complacent. The new staff will facilitate increased capacity and allow more people to be treated locally in a timely fashion.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Well-being Alex Neill chaired the annual review meeting. He commented that NHS Lothian was undertaking the biggest operation to reduce waiting times ever mounted by a Scottish NHS Board. He believed that Tim Davison was the right man for the task.