Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn behind targets for patient tests

Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital is far behind Government targets for receiving diagnostics tests, it has been revealed.

NHS data shows that 46.4 per cent of patients at the QEH were receiving diagnostics tests within the current target of six weeks in June – the Government target is 95 per cent.

The statistics, revealed by specialist medical negligence and serious personal injury solicitors, Blackwater Law, show that more than half of patients are waiting over six weeks for diagnostics tests at the hospital.

A report says the result is much lower than the current NHS provider average of 72.5 per cent and furthermore, of the 8,536 of patients on the waiting list for diagnostics tests, 34 per cent of these are waiting over 13 weeks.

The company notes that the results do, however, display a relatively small improvement compared to May, where only 44 per cent of patients received diagnostics tests within six weeks.

The percentage of patients waiting over 13 weeks for diagnostics tests has also slightly reduced, from 37.3 per cent in May to 34 per cent in June.

However, it states that these latest statistics coincide with other areas of poor performance in the trust with just 57.8 per cent of patients beginning their cancer treatment within 62 days, a long way off the current NHS target of 85 per cent.

Jason Brady, partner and head of Blackwater Law, said: “It is concerning to see that such a small percentage of patients were receiving diagnostics tests within the six-week target.

“The coronavirus pandemic may have had a part to play. However, here at Blackwater Law we unfortunately see the impact of delays on patient outcomes.”

Denise Smith, chief operating officer at QEH, said: “We have been working hard to ensure any patients waiting for a diagnostic test are seen as soon as possible.

“We continue to review all of our waiting lists to ensure that patients most in need of urgent tests are prioritised based on clinical need.

“As our health and care system continues to experience high levels of demand on services we continue to work closely with health and care colleagues to make sure patients are seen as quickly as possible, and provide them with the best possible care.”