Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 4
4
It will be very challenging for the NHS to focus sufficiently on the needs of...
Conclusion
It will be very challenging for the NHS to focus sufficiently on the needs of patients when it comes to dealing with backlogs, both patients already on waiting lists and those who have avoided seeking or been unable to obtain healthcare in the pandemic. NHSE&I is concerned about those people who have avoided or been unable to obtain healthcare during the pandemic. This includes the estimated 240,000 to 740,000 missing urgent cancer referrals since February 2020. There is also the huge challenge of communicating effectively with the 6 million people already waiting for elective care and providing them with support that they may require. NHSE&I expects trusts to focus on treating patients who have been waiting the longest. Recommendation: The Department and NHSE&I must ensure there is a strong focus on patient needs in all their recovery planning, including: • measuring the success of all initiatives to encourage patients to return to the NHS for diagnosis and treatment; • creating guidance and tools, and setting aside resources, for meaningful communication with patients who are waiting; and, • supporting NHS trusts through planning guidance and other means to prioritise patients fairly, so they are able to strike an appropriate balance between clinical urgency and absolute waiting time.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date Spring 2023 4.2 Delivery of the Elective Recovery Plan, and the initiatives deployed to achieve it, will be closely monitored by both the department and NHSE&I. Please also refer to response to recommendation 1. 4.3 Better information and support for patients is a key part of the Elective Recovery Plan. Providing people and their carers with information and personalised support is central to that ambition and the overall recovery plan. The department and NHSE&I aim to enable people to make informed decisions and be more in control of managing their own care, to reduce the impact of waiting for treatment and supporting recovery after treatment. 4.4 In February 2022, NHSE&I launched the My Planned Care platform. This platform allows patients and their carers to access information ahead of their planned appointment, operation, or treatment. The platform will be expanded in the coming months to include personalised information and support for patients on the waiting list to help them stay well while they wait, including advice on how best to manage symptoms. 4.5 On prioritisation, the NHS is prioritising diagnosis and treatment according to clinical urgency and is working to reduce the longest waits as part of the Elective Recovery Plan.