New health boss Matt Hancock WON’T rule out scrapping hospital waiting times

TARGETS for waiting times at hospitals may be scrapped, it emerged yesterday.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has refused to commit to keeping them and revealed he has  spoken to NHS England boss Simon Stevens about whether they should be ditched.

It would mean hospitals would no longer be expected to treat A&E patients within four hours, or offer routine ops within 18 weeks. The 62-day target for starting cancer treatment could also be abandoned. Trusts failed to meet it for 27,000 people last year.

A&Es are dealing with 86 per cent of patients on time, but waiting lists are at a decade-high of 4.3million people.

Hospitals are struggling to cope with an ageing population with more complicated illnesses.

Mr Hancock refused to commit to the targets when questioned about them on a visit to West Suffolk Hospital  in Bury St Edmunds.

He told staff: “My goal is to improve outcomes for patients.

“There is a very important role for targets in delivering that — and in  measuring it so we can hold people to account.

“The NHS has asked whether we can ensure targets are more clinically appropriate.

“I have spoken to Simon Stevens about that and I look forward to him coming forward with a view.

“We have got to make sure the targets we set are the very best for improving outcomes.”

Mr Stevens said earlier this week that changes to the way patients are now treated means fixed targets may be outdated.

But shadow health minister Justin Madders said scrapping waiting time targets would be a betrayal of patients.

He called on Theresa May to end speculation over their future, adding: “Minimum waiting times were introduced by Labour, yet under the Tories these rights have been undermined on a regular basis.”

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