New figures from the House of Commons Library show that the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust last hit its target – to treat patients within 18 weeks – in November 2019.

The NHS Constitution says that patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from GP referral to treatment and Trusts are supposed to ensure that 92% of patients are seen in that time frame.

A&E targets have also been missed in Rotherham with August 2016 being the last time the Trust recorded over 95% of patients spending under 4 hours in A&E.

John Healey MP said: “Patients across Rotherham are being forced to wait for treatment and being left to wait for hours in A&E when delays can cost lives.

“Under this Conservative government people can no longer trust the NHS to be there for them when they need it. When Labour was last in government, patients were treated in good time, and the maximum waiting time was cut from 18 months to 18 weeks.

“The Labour Party will get patients treated on time with 2 million more weekend and evening appointments, paid for by clamping down on tax avoidance and closing loopholes for non-doms.

“It’s clear to see the country needs and wants change, and only Labour can get the NHS back on its feet.”

The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust fared a little better at meeting the NHS diagnostic target, which says that 99% of patients who are waiting for a diagnostic test or scan should be seen within six weeks, last hitting that target in February 2020.

Labour’s plan to get back to safe waiting times within the first term of government, meeting the 4-hour A&E waiting time target, treatment within 18 weeks, and tests and scans within 6 weeks, includes:

  • Delivering two million more operations and appointments at evening and weekends each year
  • Doubling the number of NHS scanners, buying new AI-enabled scanners to diagnose faster and more accurately
  • Reforming the NHS so it provides more care in the community and stops people needing to go to hospital
  • Delivering the NHS workforce plan, training thousands more doctors and nurses a year

Labour’s plans for more appointments and scanners will be paid for by clamping down on tax avoidance and closing loopholes for non-doms.