- Weekend closures in 51% hospitals
- Labour pledges NHS improvements
- Conservative Party criticizes Labour
Weekend operating room closures occur in over 50% of hospitals, despite the NHS facing an accumulation of procedures.
A total of 51% of hospitals lack operating rooms for planned weekend procedures like knee and hip replacements.
This conclusion arises from analyzing responses to a Freedom of Information request from 81 hospital trusts in England.
Data given to Labour reveals a fourfold decrease in anticipated weekend operations compared to weekdays.
Data from 49 hospital trusts shows an average of 795 procedures during weekdays in 2022/23, while only 176 were on Saturdays and Sundays.
By the end of October, around 7.71 million patients awaited routine hospital treatments, slightly down from the peak of 7.77 million in September.
Over six million patients in agony are on waiting lists, facing distress.
Silver Voices, an organization advocating for elderly patients, says many citizens are suffering, unable to work or carry out daily activities while waiting for procedures.
Implementing weekend and after-hours surgery is crucial to clear the lengthy backlog, helping those left destitute and frustrated.
Labor vows to “increase” weekend hospital appointments to address extensive NHS waiting lists approaching the holiday season.
Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer promises £1.1 billion to reduce the NHS backlog through physician and nurse weekend and evening overtime, funded by eliminating non-dom tax status.
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Labour claims this will provide an extra two million appointments annually. However, unions warn of existing overwork, suggesting staff could earn more in the private sector.
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting joins Sir Keir on a visit to a Yorkshire hospital trust with weekend clinics on Monday.
Sir Keir says, “As the Prime Minister schemes in Westminster, the NHS faces another winter crisis, and waiting lists grow.”
While some healthcare facilities pioneer weekend operations, they need government support to maximize benefits to the public.
The Conservative Party responds, criticizing Labour’s funding claims and warning of increased taxes, inflation, and reduced NHS funding.
