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Media release
Trust Delivers Shortest Patient Wait Ever
Posted on: 30 March 2009
The West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust is today (March 30th 2009) celebrating the shortest waits since NHS records began. In January, a new standard came into effect ensuring all patients in the NHS in England are treated within 18 weeks.
We are delighted that at the end of December we met this target – a month ahead of schedule – achieving our shortest ever waiting times.
Jan Filochowski, Chief Executive of the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We are very pleased with this huge and sustained improvement. It is very good news for our patients. Our patients keep letting us know how important it is that they are treated quickly. That is why our Trust made it such a priority to reduce waiting times."
He added: "This achievement was the result of a tremendous effort from all our staff. These are the shortest patient waits in the history of the NHS in west Hertfordshire and is yet another demonstration of the impressive improvements the Trust has made over the last 18 months."
Health Secretary Alan Johnson said: "I would like to congratulate staff in The West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust on their fantastic performance against the 18 weeks target.
Nationally the NHS met its commitment six months ago to ensure that 90% of patients, who require admission to hospital and 95% of patients not needing admission, start treatment within 18 weeks of referral from their GP.
West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust has done even better – achieving 93% for patients that needed admitting and 99% for those that did not admitting in the first three months of 2009.
Ends:
Notes to Editors:
The 18 Weeks target was introduced in 2004 in the NHS Plan with a delivery programme starting in 2005. The 18 Week target levels are 90% for admitted patients and 95% for non-admitted patients to allow for patients who do not want to start their treatment within 18 weeks and patients for whom it is clinically appropriate to wait longer. It became the operational standard for the NHS from 1 January 2009.
For further information, please contact the Press Office on 01442 287684.
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