The Truth About Keeping Secrets by Savannah Brown

Receptionists will also receive more training to direct callers to the medic best suited to their needs. Ministers have already announced GP practices will be given £240million for new phone systems so patients no longer face engaged tones or lengthy waits during the 8am scramble for appointments. Tomorrow the government will publish its primary care recovery plan, designed to tackle the dire access issue surrounding GPs. Under NHS guidelines, patients should be seen within 18 weeks once referred to a specialist.īut this treatment target has not been met since 2016. It comes as damning data released last month revealed suspected cancer patients face a wait of up to two years for a diagnosis and a year to start treatment.Īt the time, charities warned the 'unacceptable' delays could give tumours time to spread, slash survival chances and make treatment more expensive. She said the NHS would adopt such a system in an 'ideal world'. Professor Hawthorne added that a tracker system - similar to ones used by online retailers once goods have been shipped - would 'help patients understand' where they are on the list. 'Or it could be that their hip or knee pain is coming to the point where they can't sleep at night. She added: 'Then they'll tell you their toilet is upstairs, and in order to get up there they're having to crawl.

'Often the waiting times for orthopaedics can be a year or two, so you know that it's going to take ages.' They come and see you and say, 'it's been three months and I've heard nothing'. 'It could be someone awaiting a hip or knee replacement. 'It's inevitable some people stuck will get sicker, because that's the nature of illness.

The Truth About Keeping Secrets by Savannah Brown