Following a recent publication suggesting Lincoln have the worst waiting times in the country.
A health service in Lincoln have given their reasoning behind avoiding the follow up route to A&E.
(University of Lincoln Health Centre)A spokesperson from the University of Lincoln said, “As a health service we try to avoid the A&E route wherever possible. It sometimes puts our students off if you say they need to go to A&E because they are more concerned about the wait than their issues.”
In figures that were published earlier this week, the trust which runs Lincoln County hospital have failed to meet advisory targets for over half a decade.
The United Lincolnshire’s Hospitals Trust have not met the national standard of 95% since 2014.
According to these latest figures, it shows 69.2% of patients began cancer treatment with (ULHT) within 62 days of an immediate GP referral, this is 16% off the expected target.
As these figures appear to be raising concerns within the county, Chief Executive of Healthwatch Lincolnshire, Sarah Fletcher, has addressed concerns regarding such long waiting times.
“Waiting times at all United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust sites which include Lincoln, Pilgrim (Boston) and Grantham Hospitals, has been an ongoing issue for many years. There are many factors that cause increased waiting times, none of which have been rectified by the Trust or by others.”
With no cause for resolution in discussion at the moment, the health service reveals factors that need considering in a bid to reduce patient’s waiting times.
“NHS really need to get a grip on health anxiety with young people because they believe they need to get anything and everything checked which often sees students queue-jumping. This is costing the NHS more than it should.
Image of the University of Lincoln Health Centre.The Health service added, “It’s an understanding in self-awareness and self-care that needs to go on to promote the importance to emergency health departments to cut down the wait”.
Mark Brassington, Chief operating Officer of the trust has said ULHT accepts that their performance isn’t where is should be at this time.
He admits “We accept that our performance is not where is should be in our emergency departments, and other areas resulting in a delay to see, treat and admit patients as quickly as we would like.”
Adding to this, Brassington concludes that the quality of care and patient safety remains the “top priority.”
