Reid: Backing treatment centres

The health secretary has insisted that the new wave of NHS treatment centres is delivering rapid improvements in patient care.

The centres, which carry out routine operations, are treating patients up to eight times quicker than normal NHS providers.

More than 120,000 patients have been treated since the start of the programme.

Of these, more than 10,000 have been treated at the ground-breaking "hospitals on wheels", the mobile cataract surgery units which were opened by John Reid in February last year.

While Reid made the announcement during a visit to a South London hospital, many of the treatment centres are operated under a contract system agreed between central government and the private sector.

Cataracts

Publishing a report into the treatment centres, the health secretary also announced a new commitment offering choice at the point of referral for all cataract patients in England.

"This report outlines the impressive progress made by the treatment centre programme to date and helps explain the continuing fall in waiting lists," he said.

"Treatment centres play an important role in speeding up access to treatment for patients and improving quality of care and patients' experience.

"This is shown by the mobile cataract chain treating 10,000 patients in less than 11 months - operating at a rate almost eight times faster than traditional NHS services.

"This higher rate is achievable because the units are able to concentrate on a single procedure in a modern, purpose built unit."

Despite ministers' claims, some critics say the government should be investing in NHS hospitals rather than signing further deals with organisations outside the NHS.

They also fear that diverting cash from the mainstream health service could hamper efforts to ensure all NHS trusts become fully fledged foundation trusts.

Waiting lists

Reid also welcomed Friday's figures showing NHS waiting lists in November last year were at their lowest level since the data was first recorded.

He said initiatives such as treatment centres had contributed to the fall.

"Today's waiting list figure represents the lowest number of people on the waiting list since comparable data was first collected in September 1987," Reid said.

"Waiting times are continuing to fall thanks to the dedication and hard work of NHS staff and the investment and capacity we are adding to the NHS, such as that provided by treatment centres.

"Today's figures show that 100,000 fewer people are waiting longer than six months for admission compared to October 2003.

"We must continue to work hard to further reduce waiting times, but this is fantastic progress by the NHS."

However the 140 patients waiting over 12 months for treatment was a significant rise on previous months.

Just 24 patients were waiting over a year in October last year, with 72 waiting the previous November.

The number waiting between nine and 11 months also rose from 33 in October to 166 in November.