New deal to target Orthopaedic waiting list

Monday 21 October 2019

A new contract has been signed as Health and Social Care continues to try and bring the waiting list for orthopaedic surgery under control.

The new partnership means some patients will be able to have their treatment at a hospital in Salisbury in England, rather than waiting to have it done locally.

HSC says that is being done through a new partnership with Ramsay Health Care UK, agreed as part of the 'ongoing initiative to reduce orthopaedic waiting times for patients'.

As part of this engagement, HSC says it has written to more than 60 patients to inform them of the new relationship and, in turn, Ramsay Health Care has been in contact with those patients to 'offer them the opportunity to have their treatment at New Hall Hospital in Salisbury'.

Pictured: New Hall Hospital is in Salisbury. You can visit its website HERE. 

HSC says nearly 200 patients have already been offered the opportunity to receive their treatment off-island and staff are 'continuing to identify further patients for whom off-island treatment could be an option'.

HSC also says progress has been made with 410 contract patients on the orthopaedic inpatient waiting list which is down from 522 at the end of 2018.

However, whilst the total number of people on the inpatient waiting list has reduced, there is a growing number of new patients joining the list - which HSC has described as 'significant' - with more than 700 names being added to the list during the first six months of 2019. That is being blamed for reducing the speed at which the overall backlog can be addressed.

HSC says that of the patients contacted by staff so far, around 90 have declined the offer for off-island treatment for a variety of reasons or were found to not be suitable for treatment at that time due to clinical reasons. Further patients were discharged because they no longer required the treatment.

A total of 54 patients have since received their treatment at either the Orthopaedic & Spine Specialist Hospital in Peterborough, Spire Hospital in Southampton or Jersey’s General Hospital and it is hoped that those who accept the offer of treatment with Ramsay will receive their operation by the end of the year. HSC says it has also worked closely with the Guernsey Therapy Group (GTG) as part of the measures brought in to reduce the waiting list.

The Medical Specialist Group is also ensuring any unused theatre lists are used by orthopaedic surgeons, resulting in a small increase in the number of patients that can be seen per week on island. On top of this, MSG surgeons have worked additional hours, supported by HSC staff, which over the course of four Saturdays allowed for an extra 17 patients to be treated.