Defense · Report Line
NHS health boards across England are deliberately delaying patient care by enforcing minimum wait times for treatment, an investigation by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has found. Analysis identified enforced delays of up to 16 weeks for hip, knee, and cataract surgery, alongside other planned procedures, as a way to manage demand and control costs. Using the Freedom of Information Act, the BMJ obtained records from 35 of the 36 integrated care boards (ICBs) in England.
Seventeen ICBs have introduced minimum waits of between 12 and 16 weeks for key procedures. The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) expressed concern over the scale of these measures, which can leave patients suffering in pain. GP leaders also found the waits difficult to justify.
Two ICBs—Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, and West Yorkshire—have set a minimum wait of 16 weeks for all routine procedures, with West Yorkshire aiming for 90% of patients to wait at least 16 weeks. The board justifies this by allowing doctors flexibility to prioritize patients at risk of clinical deterioration. Other ICBs have implemented minimum waits for cataract surgery (16 weeks in some cases) or assume patients will wait several months.
Birmingham requires a minimum wait of 14 weeks for elective care unless clinically urgent. Humber and North Yorkshire assume an average waiting time of 16 weeks for routine procedures. NHS Hereford and Worcestershire and Dorset have similar minimum wait assumptions.
Somerset mandates no treatment under 14 weeks unless patients are prioritized. The Royal College of Surgeons president, Tim Lane, argues that patients clinically ready for treatment should not face unnecessary delays, risking prolonged pain and condition deterioration. He warns that blanket minimum waits create a postcode lottery and delay care.
The Royal College of GPs president, Victoria Tzortziou Brown, highlights how long waits strain patients and GPs, adding that treatment decisions should be based on clinical need. Sally Gainsbury from the Nuffield Trust acknowledges minimum waits as a fair budget management tool but notes lack of clarity on fairness. An NHS spokesperson confirms wait policies help optimize services but emphasizes clinical need over administrative delays, with a maximum 18-week elective treatment wait as per NHS standards.
Source: The Independent
