NHS trust 'distorted' national waiting lists

A single NHS trust was blamed for distorting hospital waiting lists across England after an investigation yesterday revealed hundreds of people might have been omitted from official national statistics.

Up to 280 patients were waiting more than 15 months for in-patient treatment at the Royal United Hospitals in Bath. Across the rest of the NHS in England, only one patient had to wait more than 15 months, figures published yesterday indicated.

Figures for people waiting more than 26 weeks for an initial outpatient appointment showed 337 people on the list at Bath, compared with 831 across the rest of England. The chairman of the trust resigned last week and the finance director was suspended after an investigation found evidence of "deliberate falsification".

A report by two senior NHS managers criticised the trust for chaotic and inappropriate practices. But yesterday the trust said a new team had been established to overhaul waiting times.

John Hutton, a Health minister, condemned the Bath trust for "serious mismanagement" but said tough action was being taken to cut waiting times.

He insisted that the numbers of people waiting more than 13 and 26 weeks for initial outpatient appointments were at their lowest level since records began. Ministers also claimed the number of patients waiting more than 15 months for in-patient treatment was the lowest on record.

Mr Hutton said: "The isolated problems of one hospital must not cloud what is a considerable achievement for NHS hospitals and staff throughout England."

Overall, the number of patients waiting for hospital treatment fell by 1.5 per cent during March to 1,034,700.

Richard Gleave, the new chief executive of the Bath trust, promised swift action to cut waiting times and said an independent inquiry commissioned by the trust would recommend improvements in management.