Patients facing a longer wait

NHS OLDHAM
THE Royal Oldham Hospital has called in trouble-shooters from the Department of Health to help form an action plan as more patients wait longer for treatment.

There has been a significant fall in the number of people admitted for treatment within the maximum 18-week wait target.

The figure fell steadily from around 93 per cent last September to just over 80 per cent in February, with the drop blamed on deteriorating performance in general surgery, ophthalmology, oral surgery and plastic surgery.

The Royal Oldham is reported as significantly worse than Pennine Acute Trust’s other hospitals — Rochdale, North Manchester and Fairfield in Bury —with some patients forced to wait for 29 weeks or longer. NHS Oldham heard, however. that Oldham was still similar to the national average.

Denis Gizzi, director of system reform and service information for NHS Oldham, said: “You have to give credit where credit is due.

“Pennine Acute Trust has recognised this and has called in the Department of Heath to help sort out some internal problems.”