How should the government reduce NHS waiting time?
The government is in danger of missing its NHS waiting time target according to the King's Fund.
Ministers aim that by 2008, each patient should be being treated 18 weeks of being referred by a GP.
However, the health think-tank says that reforms such as patient choice and payment by results may undermine the push.
What action should be taken to reduce NHS waiting time? Is the health service capable of meeting the 18 week target? Is there too much emphasis placed on trying to meet waiting list targets?
This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.
The following comments reflect the balance of opinion we have received so far:
Australia has an NHS system called Medicare, where a standard fee is set up for procedures. If you want to go to a doctor, x-ray practice or surgeon who charges more, Medicare will refund you the standard charge and you pay the difference between the two costs. I was impressed with how well it worked when we lived there. It means that the patient has to pay up front, but refunds from Medicare are paid normally within a few days.
Chris, Telford, UK
 |  Charge more for those who abuse their own body |
What do you want for nothing? Charging for people who miss appointments is a good idea. We could do what the private sector does, charge more for those who abuse their own body (smoking, drugs, drink etc.) They put a strain on the service we need.
Paul J, Cumbria
Get GPs to take patients seriously at the first complaint, not make them wait until it's time for major surgery. If more people had access to services such as scans, allergy testing and preventative care, fewer major operations would be needed.
Louise, England
The most obvious way of reducing waiting times is to get the doctors back to the work they trained for, rather than filling in status reports to meet targets.
Rob, Coventry
Surely getting rid of the multitude of middle management roles and paying for more doctors and nurses and operating theatres would shorten waiting lists.
Floss Brown, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear
Firstly, scrap the targets! The time and effort spent massaging the figures and paying for managers and analysts to review the targets could be spent on doctors, nurses, cleaners and beds. Encouraging a healthier lifestyle and making those who refuse to do so pay for their own treatment would also help.
Matt, Derby
Privatise it. There are many excellent well motivated staff in the NHS, but a publicly owned organisation of this size will never work effectively and efficiently. We need an insurance based private system that offers real choice and competition with a legal framework to protect the interests of the old and less well off.
Peter Barkas, Cambridge, England My mother in law was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had an operation within 3 weeks. I had to wait over a year for a wisdom tooth extraction - but I'm not complaining. The NHS is obviously getting their priorities right and is treating the most severe cases first. I wouldn't want to be prioritised above someone who had a life threatening condition, when I only had toothache!
Emma, UK
Ingrown toenails and cancer are treated in entirely different departments so will of course be subjected to different pressures and different waiting times. If there isn't a queue in M&S that doesn't mean there isn't one in B&Q. Spend more money, it's that simple.
Samantha Brown, UK
The problem is that too many people become dangerously sick while they are waiting to get on the waiting lists. If we spent more time doing the relatively minor early interventions aimed at keeping people active and in work, we would not have to provide high-cost treatments later on. Such an approach would also mean that people wouldn't have to languish on benefits with money that could otherwise be put back into healthcare.
Tim Watkins, Cardiff
Who cares about waiting times! I had to wait 4 months for a wisdom tooth extraction, painful but it wasn't going to kill me. However, I know that if I need emergency surgery, heart bypass etc, I can get it quickly and for FREE! It's time we stood up for and protected our NHS from privatisation and corporate greed.
Vish, UK
| They should be trying to get people healthier in the first place |
In Scotland the Lib Dems are pouring lots of tax payers' cash into the NHS, but the queues lengthen. They should be trying to get people healthier in the first place by putting money into improving housing conditions, diet and helping people to give up smoking.
Douglas, Dunfermline Every time someone walks into a hospital they cost it some money. So why would 'the system' want to treat more of them when it's already short of cash? Until money follows patients, so hospitals really want to get more efficient, not much will change.
John R Smith, UK
When will the government get it into their heads that we don't want patient choice or waiting list targets? We just want our hospitals to be funded properly so that everyone gets the same high standard of care across the country. If there are waiting lists it's because there are not enough beds or staff, which can be solved by just giving them the money that they need.
Cat, Cambridge
Fine people who just can't be bothered to turn up for appointments, or move them to the back of the list. A lot of NHS resources are wasted by DNA (did not attend) cases.
Chris, Telford
| Keeping people out of hospital is best for the individual and the NHS |
There should be far greater emphasis on long-term, preventative health measures and early detection. Keeping people out of hospital is best for the individual and the NHS.
S. Smith, Buckingham, UK 18 weeks is a hell of a long time to wait for treatment. If I went to visit my GP with a condition that required treatment, I would not want to wait 18 weeks, during which time I would no doubt worry what is wrong with me, then have to wait even longer before I actually receive treatment.
Sarah, Chester, UK
Easy. Charge a �25 fee for a missed appointment and withhold further treatment until the fine is paid, with the defaulter having to make the arrangements for another appointment.
TJ Newman, Bournemouth. UK
The problem with so many targets is that they produce the wrong results. It's one of the first rules of management that the aspects that are measured are the ones that improve. If someone with an in growing toenail has to wait a couple of weeks more than the target so that someone with cancer can be seen urgently that should be expected, but targets mean that the toenail will be fixed because the cancer patient can be left for another couple of weeks and still meet the target. It would also help if there were more doctors and nurses and fewer managers and parking attendants within the NHS, and if the cleaners actually did some cleaning. My mother was in hospital recently and after a week a crumpled piece of toilet paper was still left on the floor, despite the room allegedly being cleaned four times.
John B, UK
Wouldn't scrapping the NHS, and making everyone pay for their treatment slash the amount of treatment that is 'needed'? We'd all see many thousands of pounds per person savings, so we'd all be able to afford things we 'need' from the NHS. The only losers would be the people who don't pay in to start with.
Matt, Coventry, England
Everyone has the right to expect shorter waiting times. However, the government will miss its target on NHS waiting times and will continue to miss the target it set itself until proper funding is made available to the health service. Much needed investment in training of healthcare workers, including those already qualified, together with investment in equipment has been missing for far too long. This problem needs addressing with immediate effect. Only when the infrastructure is fully in place can the 18 week target be contemplated.
Eddie Espie, Cookstown
Waiting times don't worry me. As long as any treatment I need is given to me before it causes any other problems, I'm quite happy with the service. We already have an excellent system in which I don't have to worry about costs or if I'll be treated. I will be, it just may take some time. However, I feel less money should be spent on managerial positions, but on nurses, doctors, cleaning, and more equipment to further improve the system.
Christian H, North Wales
In Suffolk smaller hospitals are being closed and bed numbers at larger hospitals are being reduced as a result of underfunding and the financial incompetence of the health trusts. If beds aren't available then operations have to wait. It isn't rocket science!
Richard, Wortham, UK
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