• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MayorWatch

London News and Comment

  • NEWS

London patients ‘being treated faster than ever’

March 26, 2009 by Staff

Patients in the capital are being treated faster than ever before according to new figures published today.

The figures show that the time patients wait is a key performance indicator, and is consistently one of the highest priorities for Londoners when judging the health care they receive.

Sara Coles, NHS London’s Performance Director said; “There has been excellent improvement towards meeting the national 18 week targets. I’m delighted that most London trusts have now met the targets and in many specialties exceeded them, for example in ophthalmology, more than 95% of London patients requiring a hospital admission were treated within 18 weeks of being referred by their GP. Just two years ago fewer than 40% of ophthalmology patients were being treated within 18 weeks with many having long waits for their cataract operations.

“NHS staff have worked hard to deliver these improvements for patients but there is more to do. Although overall in London we have hit the 18 week targets we expect all trusts to achieve it from April onwards and continue to reduce waits in all specialties.”

The national target requires 90% of admitted patients and 95% of outpatients to be treated within 18-weeks and 95% of non-admitted patients. Setting the target below 100% means there is some flexibility for patients who choose not to start their treatment within 18 weeks. In January 2009 more than 170,000 patients were treated within 18 weeks of being referred from their GP.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email

Filed Under: News

RECENT UPDATES

Tube and rail users to benefit from Oyster weekly fares cap

Mayor and TfL call on ministers to help plug funding gap

Tube to get full mobile phone coverage from 2024

TfL says Direct Vision Standard is already making HGVs safer for London road users




POPULAR

City Hall to move to Docklands as Mayor seeks to raise £55m for frontline services

‘Concern’ over TfL’s ability to deliver major projects in wake of Crossrail cost overruns

City Hall halts London Overground ticket office closures but many will still see opening hours reduced

Transport for London confirms bus cuts will go ahead despite passenger opposition

Copyright © 2025 · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy