NHS reports have shown that the New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton has failed to meet three key targets set for NHS Trusts across the country: waiting times for A&E treatment, cancer treatment and routine operations are all below target.
The worst news was that the Wolverhampton hospital was in last place for patients having to wait for cancer treatment, with only 53% of patients at New Cross being treated within the required time of 62 days. The national average was much higher, with 78% of patients being treated within this time.
Local MPs have cited staff shortages for the Trust’s failures, with Eleanor Smith, MP for Wolverhampton South West, saying: ‘The people of Wolverhampton do deserve the best levels of service from their hospital…the focus has to be on the Government. It is them who are letting patients down. Just one part of this is the shortage of nurses. The situation is shocking. There are almost 42,000 vacant nursing posts in the NHS in England.’
Chief Operating Officer at the Trust, Gwen Nuttall, told the Express & Star newspaper: ‘Meeting national targets will always be a challenge but we are doing all that we can to ensure our patients are not waiting longer than necessary to receive the care that they need.’
The recent update from Telford Hospital that their A&E department will not be closing overnight, and so patients will in turn not have to be forwarded on to New Cross, will surely come as welcome news to the Wolverhampton Trust. What effect, if any, it has on patient service is yet to be seen.
Joseph Norton, Head of Compensation
Waldrons Solicitors
