Welcome action on NHS backlogs

Emma Foody, Labour and Co-operative MP for Cramlington and Killingworth, has welcomed progress on tackling backlogs in Newcastle thanks to additional targeted support.

The new government initiative to send top doctors to support hospital trusts including Newcastle Hospitals Trust, where more people are out of work and waiting for treatment, is cutting waiting lists faster, new data shows.

In September, crack teams spearheaded by top clinicians were sent to NHS hospitals serving communities with high levels of economic inactivity. The teams support NHS trusts to go further and faster to improve care in these areas.

This has led to Newcastle Hospitals Trust slashing waiting lists by 3,372 since October.

Following the success of the programme, the government has confirmed similar crack teams will be rolled out to additional providers this year to boost NHS productivity and cut waiting times further.

Emma Foody, Member of Parliament for Cramlington and Killingworth commented:

“Too many people have been left waiting months on end due to ever increasing waiting lists and delays with treatment. This is bad for people’s health and bad for the economy.

“Waiting lists are still far too high and behind every waiting list statistic, there are people who have been stuck in pain and waiting for treatment.

“Thanks to the targeted action of this Labour government we’re seeing waiting lists fall month and month”.