Data reveal half of England's health boards deliberately delay patient care with 'minimum waits'
Nearly half of England's Integrated Care Boards are implementing minimum waiting times for routine surgeries to manage costs and demand. Health experts and medical colleges have criticized the practice, warning it may exacerbate patient pain and violate national NHS treatment standards.
Why it matters
This reveals a systemic strain on the UK's public healthcare system, highlighting the tension between fiscal management and patient care standards.
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Andrew Zinin
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Add as preferred source Credit: adrian vieriu from Pexels Nearly half of health boards in England are deliberately delaying care for patients by imposing minimum waiting times in an attempt to manage demand and control costs, exclusive data published by The BMJ reveal.
A total of 17 of the 36 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs)—responsible for planning health services for their local populations—have introduced minimum waits of between 12 and 16 weeks for procedures including hip, knee and cataract surgery.
The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) said it was "concerned by the scale" of measures that can prolong patients' pain, while the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) said the waits were "difficult to justify."
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