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| NHS waits for cancer care, A&E and ops worsen across UK | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The performance of hospitals across the UK has slumped with targets for cancer, A&E and planned operations now being missed en masse, BBC research shows. | The performance of hospitals across the UK has slumped with targets for cancer, A&E and planned operations now being missed en masse, BBC research shows. |
| Nationally England, Wales and Northern Ireland have not hit one of their three key targets for 18 months. | Nationally England, Wales and Northern Ireland have not hit one of their three key targets for 18 months. |
| Only Scotland has had any success in the past 12 months - hitting its A&E target three times. | Only Scotland has had any success in the past 12 months - hitting its A&E target three times. |
| Ministers accepted growing demand had left the NHS struggling to keep up as doctors warned patients were suffering. | Ministers accepted growing demand had left the NHS struggling to keep up as doctors warned patients were suffering. |
| The findings are being revealed as the BBC launches its online NHS Tracker project, which allows people to see how their local service is performing on three key waiting time targets: | The findings are being revealed as the BBC launches its online NHS Tracker project, which allows people to see how their local service is performing on three key waiting time targets: |
| If you can't see the NHS Tracker, click or tap here. | If you can't see the NHS Tracker, click or tap here. |
| The BBC has looked at performance nationally as well as locally across the 135 hospital trusts in England and 26 health boards in the rest of the UK. | The BBC has looked at performance nationally as well as locally across the 135 hospital trusts in England and 26 health boards in the rest of the UK. |
| Locally there is just one service in the whole of the UK - run by Luton and Dunstable NHS Trust - which has managed to hit all three targets each time over the past 12 months. | Locally there is just one service in the whole of the UK - run by Luton and Dunstable NHS Trust - which has managed to hit all three targets each time over the past 12 months. |
| Hospital staff the BBC has talked to have described how shortages of doctors and nurses, a lack of money and inadequate room in A&E departments in particular was making it difficult to see patients quickly enough. | Hospital staff the BBC has talked to have described how shortages of doctors and nurses, a lack of money and inadequate room in A&E departments in particular was making it difficult to see patients quickly enough. |
| While overall the vast majority of patients are still being seen in time, the BBC investigation shows how declining performance is affecting patients. | While overall the vast majority of patients are still being seen in time, the BBC investigation shows how declining performance is affecting patients. |
| For example, the chances of not being seen in four hours in A&E has actually more than doubled in the past four years, with one in nine patients now waiting longer than that. | For example, the chances of not being seen in four hours in A&E has actually more than doubled in the past four years, with one in nine patients now waiting longer than that. |
| The NHS on the slide | The NHS on the slide |
| The BBC research has found: | The BBC research has found: |
| 'We don't have enough doctors' | 'We don't have enough doctors' |
| Prof Srinivasan Madhusudan, head of cancer at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, which has not hit the cancer target since April 2014, suggested there was simply not enough staff to cope. | Prof Srinivasan Madhusudan, head of cancer at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, which has not hit the cancer target since April 2014, suggested there was simply not enough staff to cope. |
| "When I get to work I want to treat my patients as soon as I can. So do my colleagues." | "When I get to work I want to treat my patients as soon as I can. So do my colleagues." |
| But he added there was a limit to what could be done, pointing out there are 5,000 new cases a year at his hospital trust. | But he added there was a limit to what could be done, pointing out there are 5,000 new cases a year at his hospital trust. |
| "There are only so many patients that you can treat. | "There are only so many patients that you can treat. |
| "We have a team of 22 fantastic oncologists who are working very hard to do the best they can under what is quite a stressful situation." | "We have a team of 22 fantastic oncologists who are working very hard to do the best they can under what is quite a stressful situation." |
| Meanwhile, Ali Refson, an A&E consultant at London's Northwick Park hospital, said demand was "incredibly high" which meant it was sometimes impossible to hit the four-hour target. | Meanwhile, Ali Refson, an A&E consultant at London's Northwick Park hospital, said demand was "incredibly high" which meant it was sometimes impossible to hit the four-hour target. |
| "We sometimes feel we can't give the best care. We are working the hardest we can, but we are only human." | "We sometimes feel we can't give the best care. We are working the hardest we can, but we are only human." |
| What does this mean for patients? | What does this mean for patients? |
| Ministers across the UK have been quick to point out that most people are still being seen in time. | Ministers across the UK have been quick to point out that most people are still being seen in time. |
| But the numbers waiting longer for care have been rising. | But the numbers waiting longer for care have been rising. |
| In A&E patients are now twice as likely to wait more than four hours than they were four years ago - 11% compared to 5%. | In A&E patients are now twice as likely to wait more than four hours than they were four years ago - 11% compared to 5%. |
| The proportion of people waiting over 62 days for cancer treatment has risen by a third in the past four years. Nearly one in five patients now wait longer. | The proportion of people waiting over 62 days for cancer treatment has risen by a third in the past four years. Nearly one in five patients now wait longer. |
| The chances of delays before you have a planned operation or treatment, such as a hip replacement, has increased by nearly three-quarters in four years. Currently 12% of patients wait longer than they should. | The chances of delays before you have a planned operation or treatment, such as a hip replacement, has increased by nearly three-quarters in four years. Currently 12% of patients wait longer than they should. |
| It means there are now over 500,000 people on hospital waiting lists in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that have waited too long. That compares to nearly 230,000 four years ago. | It means there are now over 500,000 people on hospital waiting lists in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that have waited too long. That compares to nearly 230,000 four years ago. |
| British Medical Association chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul said the situation highlighted by the BBC was "unacceptable". | British Medical Association chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul said the situation highlighted by the BBC was "unacceptable". |
| He said while for some patients the delays were simply an "inconvenience", for many more they would have a "real impact on their treatment and outcome". | He said while for some patients the delays were simply an "inconvenience", for many more they would have a "real impact on their treatment and outcome". |
| Time for 'honest debate' | Time for 'honest debate' |
| Scottish Health Secretary Shona Robison said record levels of investment were being put into the health service in Scotland. | Scottish Health Secretary Shona Robison said record levels of investment were being put into the health service in Scotland. |
| She said efforts were being made to "shift the balance of care away from hospitals" and into the community that should make it easier to hit the targets. | She said efforts were being made to "shift the balance of care away from hospitals" and into the community that should make it easier to hit the targets. |
| And she added a ministerial working group had been established to improve cancer care. | And she added a ministerial working group had been established to improve cancer care. |
| A spokesman for the Department of Health in England said more money was being spent on services, and said despite the longer waiting times the majority of hospitals were still providing good or outstanding care, according to inspectors. | A spokesman for the Department of Health in England said more money was being spent on services, and said despite the longer waiting times the majority of hospitals were still providing good or outstanding care, according to inspectors. |
| And he pointed out that because of the ageing population "health systems worldwide face similar pressures". | And he pointed out that because of the ageing population "health systems worldwide face similar pressures". |
| A Welsh government spokesman acknowledged some people were waiting "too long", but pointed to the rising demand being faced. | A Welsh government spokesman acknowledged some people were waiting "too long", but pointed to the rising demand being faced. |
| The number of A&E visits made each year across the UK has risen by a fifth in four years to top 30 million, while the number of cancer cases has risen by more than a quarter to top 170,000. | The number of A&E visits made each year across the UK has risen by a fifth in four years to top 30 million, while the number of cancer cases has risen by more than a quarter to top 170,000. |
| Nonetheless, Labour's shadow health secretary in England, John Ashworth, called the decline in performance "staggering". | Nonetheless, Labour's shadow health secretary in England, John Ashworth, called the decline in performance "staggering". |
| Saffron Cordery, of NHS Providers, which represents hospital bosses, said it was time to consider whether these targets were still achievable unless more money was provided. | Saffron Cordery, of NHS Providers, which represents hospital bosses, said it was time to consider whether these targets were still achievable unless more money was provided. |
| "It's time for an honest debate about what we can realistically expect the health service to deliver in such difficult circumstances." | "It's time for an honest debate about what we can realistically expect the health service to deliver in such difficult circumstances." |
| The services where targets have been missed for whole year | The services where targets have been missed for whole year |
| England: | England: |
| Wales: | Wales: |
| Northern Ireland: | Northern Ireland: |
| Based on performance against the monthly or quarterly targets for A&E, 62-day cancer care and planned operations for the most recent 12 months for which there is data. The way the targets work is different across the UK so the BBC has simply looked at whether the key targets are being me in each nation. | Based on performance against the monthly or quarterly targets for A&E, 62-day cancer care and planned operations for the most recent 12 months for which there is data. The way the targets work is different across the UK so the BBC has simply looked at whether the key targets are being me in each nation. |
| Research by the BBC's data journalism unit | Research by the BBC's data journalism unit |