Hospital waiting lists 'a disgrace'

SHOCKING figures obtained by the Oxford Mail show a huge increase in patients waiting for treatment in Oxford's hospitals over the last year.

Today, Health Secretary Frank Dobson was due to announce a 6.5 per cent nationwide drop in the total number of patients waiting in the six months to September this year.

But an Oxfordshire MP has claimed that, at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital and the Churchill, the number of day patients waiting for treatment between March 1997 and

September this year has increased by more than 119 per cent.

And Witney MP Shaun Woodward said the total hospital waiting list increase, including in and out-patients, was 58 per cent.

Official figures released by the Government today show the number of patients at NHS hospitals in the Anglia and Oxford region on waiting lists fell by three per cent between August and September this year.

But at the individual hospitals in Oxfordshire the breakdown shows a different story, with a 13.1 per cent increase in patients waiting for treatment by the Oxfordshire Health Authority. Mr Woodward, who managed to get hold of statistics which are not due to be published until next month, said: "These figures are an absolute disgrace. Almost completely across the board, we see people in Oxfordshire waiting longer and longer for essential medical treatment.

"I will be seeking urgent answers from the Secretary of State today in the House of Commons for these appalling increases. At a time when waiting lists have gone through the roof, it's extraordinary to think that the Secretary of State should even think of closing a single bed, let alone community hospitals like Burford." Mr Woodward said it was appalling that the Government should try to cover up the increases by first issuing a statement about the figures falling overall. "Labour promised at the last election to reduce waiting lists. Instead, people in Oxfordshire are suffering these huge levels. The Government must take action to save the health of the people of Oxfordshire now."

The only fall in the number of patients on waiting lists for Oxford's hospitals was at the Radcliffe Infirmary, which saw a fall of 6.9 per cent between March last year and September this year.

But day patients at the Radcliffe Infirmary faced an increase of 52.4 per cent.

Patients waiting between 12 and 17 months for treatment at the Nuffield Orthopaedic over the same period increased from four to 137.

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