The hospitals where waiting times are getting worse. Is yours one of them?

"Nearly a quarter of hospitals in England have seen waiting times worsen since the government published its plan to tackle the backlog a year ago, BBC analysis shows. Hitting the 18-week waiting target for treatments such as knee and hip operations was Labour's key manifesto pledge for the health service, and last January it set out how it would get hospitals on track."

"My arthritis was too advanced and it was too many operations. I have decided to live with the pain. I had long waits at every stage since first being referred. It's like being in a never-ending queue. I now rely on a mobility scooter to get about I can only walk short distances with crutches. If I had received quicker treatment, things may have been better."

Nearly a quarter of hospitals in England have experienced worsening waiting times since the government published a backlog plan a year ago. Nationally some progress exists, but 31 hospital trusts regressed and 17 made little progress among 129 services examined. Struggling hospitals cited staffing shortages, doctor strikes and IT problems. Many patients with arthritis and other conditions have faced long delays that worsened health and led some to decline treatment. One patient waited eight months to be assessed and later required bilateral hip and knee replacements but chose not to proceed. Advocacy groups warn that access to timely, life-changing treatment is inequitable.

Read at www.bbc.com