Carla Smith

“During the course of the evidence, I heard from Consultants at two hospitals, and read evidence from others. The evidence I heard is that, at that time there were significant waiting lists, even for those on an urgent pathway. I heard that these issues persist and that, in relation to gynaecology referrals which was the subject of this inquest, where the expected waiting time would previously be 4-6 weeks for an urgent referral, one hospital has a waiting time of 18 weeks, the other 30 weeks (and”

“The cause for concern is that some patients may significantly deteriorate while on such lengthy waiting lists. In some cases, this may mean that they lose some treatment options due to their condition advancing. This leads to a risk of future deaths.”

“The other concern I have following the evidence heard, is that if someone is on a routine or urgent waiting list, there is no requirement or system in place to monitor their progress. I was advised that those referred under a 2 week wait (which I am now advised has been changed to a 28 day wait) for suspected cancer, will be monitored to ensure that the timescale is met. There is no such requirement for the other waiting lists. This may lead to patients being left waiting for excessive periods,”