Two Week Extra Wait For Brent Patients Shows Hospital Cuts Madness - Teather

5.02.54pm GMT Thu 26th Feb 2009

Sarah Teather is supporting local NHS staff

Brent's Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather has called on North West London Hospital Trust to abandon plans for staff cuts, in light of new figures showing that Brent patients already have to wait almost two weeks longer for hospital treatment than the rest of the UK.

The average waiting time across the country is 42 days, but residents of Brent are forced to wait an average of 52 days before they receive treatment. Despite these long delays, North West London Hospital Trust have announced they will embark on a £32million cuts programme with hundreds of staff set to lose their jobs.

Sarah and the Liberal Democrats are calling for the Government to guarantee waiting times, with the NHS required to pay for patients to be seen privately if they have not had their operation or treatment within the specified timescale.

Local Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East Sarah Teather said:

"Vulnerable patients should not be left languishing on lengthy waiting lists, and it simply isn't fair that people in Brent have to wait an extra two weeks for treatment than the average UK patient. Brent residents pay the same amount of tax as people elsewhere, so why should they have to put up with a sub-standard service?

"Being in hospital can be lonely and distressing, and people need to know that they will be treated as quickly as possible. If the Government can't offer Brent patients help when they need it, they should be stumping up the cash for local people to be seen privately instead.

"With Brent NHS services already creaking at the seam, it is absolute madness to now force North West London Hospital Trust into a massive cuts programme that will only make matters worse. The Labour Government should be trying to help our local hospital, not sitting back and watching while local doctors and nurses lose their jobs."

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