Waiting times in spotlight again

Figures published by the Winchester and Eastleigh NHS Trust show the hospital is making "significant progress" with waiting lists for some patients, but falling behind in others.

However, accuracy in the way the lists are drawn up was also focused on at a meeting of the trust board because the Department of Health last year named the trust as one of 13 across the country whose statistics were called into question.

In 2001, the Government's Audit Commission reviewed the way trusts produce their figures, a particular concern being that patients suspended from the list might have inadvertently been included, dramatically altering the waiting list figures in favour of the trusts.

However, following a subsequent spot-check by the Audit Commission into the way the Winchester and Eastleigh figures are produced, the trust has effectively been given a clean bill of health, but with recommendations to tighten up the way the figures are produced.

Although a report by the Audit Commission found no evidence of inaccuracy or mismanagement of figures, it did find "systematic weaknesses'" in the way some of the figures were collected.

It made recommendations for improvement to ensure it did not happen again.

The figures showed the trust was failing to meet targets with 3,728 people awaiting admission - 257 more than government guidelines allow.

In terms of specific waiting lists - such as 12 and 15-month waiting lists and outpatient waiting lists, the trust was beginning to meet the set targets.

Cancer patients fared better with no-one waiting more than two weeks to see a specialist after being referred by their GP.

Chief executive of the trust, Rod Hall, said: "We are committed to continuing the drive to reduce waiting lists further.

"Of course, the Diagnostic and Treatment Centre will help us dramatically in this. Meeting the NHS plan is a tough challenge, but we are determined to keep driving down waiting times and balancing our books."