Walsall's Manor Hospital hit with £500k delays fine

The health trust has been forced to send patients to other hospitals because of a backlog caused by rising numbers.

The under-pressure Manor has struggled to hit targets for patients being referred and admitted within 18 weeks.

A report to bosses states a penalty of around £490,800 will have been imposed so far this financial year, subject to confirmation from Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group.

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust admitted in November that some patients were left waiting up to 12 months for treatment. A rise in emergency admissions and referrals has been blamed for causing delays for people along with implementing a new computer system with patient information.

Some pre-planned treatment has had to be cancelled with patients in orthopaedics, oral surgery and eye problems amongst those impacted upon.

Around 600 people have since been offered alternative appointments elsewhere at Birmingham Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Spire Little Aston, Ramsay Hospital in Halesowen or the Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre.

A report to director of finance and performance, Ian Baines, said: "As a result of the impact of emergency pressures, increases in elective demand and difficulties following launch of the new Patient Administration System, the Trust faces significant difficulties in delivering the national 18 week standards.

It added: "As part of our integrated recovery plan the trust has produced an Elective Access Improvement Plan to ensure recovery of performance and improve patient and colleague experience over the next three to six months."

The CCG says contractual fines are only one part of a number of ways in which it works with the trust to tackle waiting times. The fines are re-invested in the health system to improve services for Walsall patients.

There has been an increase in demand across most of the hospital's elective specialities.

This has seen a 20 per cent rise in referrals for treatments including including orthopaedics and breast surgery.

Walsall Manor has seen more patients coming from Staffordshire over the last few years which is set to further rise in the future.

This has also impacted on the A&E where the hospital has been unable to consistently reach the target of 95 per cent of people treated within four hours.

In 2013/14, there were 13,579 emergency admissions during the first six months of the financial year, compared to 13,870 this year.