Clinical need prioritised over waiting times as Doncaster health bosses prepare for 'long' job of dealing with Covid related backlogs

Figures presented to NHS Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) governors meeting on Thursday revealed the extent to which measures to deal with the coronavirus crisis had hit waiting lists, as one official said some treatments will be on clinical need not time waited.

Under official targets, 99 per cent of patients are supposed to be seen for diagnostic tests within six weeks. That was met in February in Doncaster. But the figure plummeted to 38.2 per cent in April, with 4,645 breaches.

Most routine activity stopped in March, limiting the ability to see patients already in the system and new referrals inside six weeks. Services continued for urgent cases.

There were also six Doncaster CCG patients waiting over 52 weeks for treatment at the end of April, and 10 at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals.

Anthony Fitzgerald, director of strategy and delivery at Doncaster CCG said: “Obviously, the phase one and two response to Covid has taken its toll on waiting lists. The six week wait is one of those. There are also significant reductions in pathway to treatment and 52 week wait figures. We knew this would happen. While it is disappointing, given what we have been through, it was appropriate to step down non-essential surgery.

“We are in a constant dialogue about bringing services back online.

“Some things won’t be the same as before and we will take advantage of the digital response to outpatients.”

He said the two week wait for cancer patients appointments was back to pre-Covid levels.

Governor Paul Wilkin asked about 52 week waits.

Mr Fitzgerald said: “It is being done on prioritisation rather than how long someone has been waiting.

“The service is on a clinical priority basis.”

CCG chief officer Jackie Pederson added: “It is disappointing but understandable. Anthony and the team are working on recovery but we need to be aware of restrictions on providerse now with reduced capacity and having Covid-safe environments.

“There are discussions on what we can do to improve performance, but this is going to take a long time, unfortunately.”

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