The Government’s Plan for Change must focus on the musculoskeletal needs of the population to achieve its 18-weeks waiting list target this Parliament
Based on the most recently available three-months of data, on current trends the NHS is unlikely to achieve the government’s 18-weeks to treatment waiting list target for trauma and orthopaedics (T&O) until November 2037.
Mark Bowditch, President, British Orthopaedic Association said,
“The British Orthopaedic Association welcomes the government’s attempts to reduce the waiting times patients endure for their much needed treatment.
“However, to achieve any meaningful reduction, the NHS must prioritise musculoskeletal (MSK) health. Planned essential care for orthopaedic patients should not be cancelled each winter because there are not enough planned care beds.
“In addition, Integrated Care Boards must fulfil their statutory duty to reduce inequalities of access and outcomes of health services for MSK patients.
“The Government must also demonstrate leadership and take action to ensure that we have an adult social care service that is fit for purpose. Our growing older population is increasingly unsupported and so often find themselves in hospital when it could have been avoided and then remain in hospital when they have no medical need to be there.
“Alongside this, the Spending Review next year must make monies available to support prevention initiatives such as universal access to fragility fracture prevention services, support for community MSK services and also to ensure that there is sufficient capacity within our hospitals for the hundreds of thousands of trauma and orthopaedic patients who require timely treatment.”
Notes:
1. The T&O waiting list is the largest of the published waiting lists. As at September 2024, there were over 850,000 pathways on the T&O RTT Waiting List. [See www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2024-25.]
2. In a recent FOI survey by ARMA of the 42 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) that responded, almost 25 per cent (10) had no MSK lead and ten per cent had no MSK priorities. [See https://arma.uk.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ARMA-FOI-Report-Sep2024-Final.pdf.]
3. Over 20 million people in the UK, almost one third of the population, have a MSK condition such as arthritis or back pain, they account for up to 30% of GP consultations in England and are the leading cause of pain and disability, accounting for one of the highest causes of sickness absence and productivity loss. [See www.england.nhs.uk/elective-care-transformation/best-practice-solutions/musculoskeletal.]
4. The achievement of the 18-weeks RTT waiting list projection for trauma and orthopaedics is based on the most recently available three-months of data representing the summer activity and is a 'best case' scenario and does not take into account any complicating factors such as winter pressures, our aging population or new initiatives to address waiting.
5. Plan for Change (5th December 2024). [See www.gov.uk/missions].