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The NHS waiting list in England has shown a slight increase in the previous month, as hospitals struggle to keep up with demand and treat enough patients. At the end of June, the list reached 7.37 million, up by 10,000 from May, although it remains lower than last year’s figure of 7.62 million. Internal documents obtained by the BBC reveal that patients are sometimes removed from the list without receiving treatment, highlighting the challenges faced by the NHS.
Officials have been urging the NHS to remove patients who do not require placement on the waiting list, known as “validation,” for several years. Hospitals receive financial incentives for reducing the number of patients on the list, including those who have passed away. This process can enhance the efficiency of services by enabling hospitals to focus on patients who genuinely require treatment, rather than pursuing unnecessary cases.
Analysis of internal documents indicates that patient removals took place during April and May, resulting in a reduction of 100,000 on the waiting list. The Nuffield Trust think-tank suggests that the actual number of removals could be higher, with an average of over 200,000 patients removed each month in the last two years. Despite the progress made through validation, errors in computing may inadvertently lead to the removal of patients, creating an additional waiting list not reflected in the official figures.
Dr. Becks Fisher from the Nuffield Trust emphasizes that recent reductions in the waiting list are not solely due to treating more patients each month but can be misleading. While acknowledging the importance of the validation process, she stresses the need for greater transparency and understanding of the underlying issues. The government maintains that validation removals play a minor role in reducing the waiting list backlog, as the NHS continues to treat an increasing number of patients, improving productivity through this screening process.
According to a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care, efforts to address the substantial waiting list backlog prioritize ensuring all patients receive timely and appropriate treatment. The government’s focus on clearing the backlog includes effective validation practices to streamline the waiting list and enhance patient care outcomes
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