Andrew Dismore

 

Andrew Dismore, Labour London Assembly member and parliamentary candidate for Hendon has demanded to know why we have heard nothing  from Barnet’s Conservative MPs in light of the shocking news over the patients’ waiting time crisis.

So why have Barnet’s Conservative MPs been so silent on the issue? Aren’t they concerned about what is happening to our local NHS on their watch?

“Hendon has a Conservative MP who seems to spend more time boasting about   awards for his interest in dogs than in dealing with the ever growing crisis  in our local NHS.  My recent FoI request to the Health Department has shown that in over 2 years he has not raised once by correspondence, email, phone call, or meeting with ministers,  the financial situation of Barnet CCG or any  issue about  Barnet  and Chase Farm Hospitals, despite the well publicised  difficulties both organisations have been experiencing. ( for FoI response see below)”

Barnet’s CCG has been told that the NHS:

 “has been aware for some time that one of   their main providers Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust has experienced a significant problem in delivering and monitoring the national Referral to Treatment Time( RTT) target.  A major data quality problem was exposed where a significant proportion  of patients were not being  recorded and monitored as 18 week RTT waiters. The Trust has suspended reporting to the national system as the exact number of RTT breaches is currently unknown. However they are aware that there are real delays to treatment for patients requiring elective surgery. “

The report goes on to state that

 

• Over 2,200 patients have been waiting more than 18 weeks for surgery

 

• Over 179 patients have been waiting more than a year for treatment

 

• The Trust’s data is inaccurate and they have suspended reporting data to the national system as the exact number of breaches is unknown

 

• The Trust don’t know how many high risk patients in urgent need of treatment are affected

 

• Due to clinical concerns the Trust has implemented a Clinical Harm Review process to try prioritise high risk patients

 

• The figures could be higher due to the inaccurate data

 

• The full backlog is unlikely to be cleared until late 2015

Mr Dismore added:

 

“ If the Conservative MPs can’t be bothered to do their job, then I intend to do it for them, as a member of City Hall’s health committee. I am seeking urgent meetings with  the Chief Executives of Barnet CCG and Royal Free Hospital who are due to take over BCF, to see what they intend to do about this  appalling situation.”

FoI response from Department of Health referred to above:

02/06/2014

DE00000861019

Dear Mr Dismore,

Thank you for your request of 13 May 2014 under the Freedom of Information Act (2000).  Your exact request was:

“please disclose copies of all correspondence and emails and records of phone conversations or meetings between Hendon MP Matthew Offord and ministers in the department of health concerning the financial position of Barnet CCG, including in shadow form  since January 2012 to date

please disclose under FoI  copies of all correspondence and emails and records of phone conversations or meetings between Hendon MP Matthew Offord and ministers in the department of health concerning   Barnet  and Chase Farm Hospitals , since January 2012 to date”

I can confirm that the Department holds no information relevant to your request. “