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University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust has bucked the national trend for numbers of patients waiting more than two years for elective treatment to be on the decline.

New data published by NHS England shows the number of two-year waiters at the trust stood at 533 at the end of April, but jumped to 1,280 in the first week of May. They then reduced to around 970 by 22 May, the latest data available.

HSJ understands the bulk of the patients suddenly appearing in the UHBFT numbers are waiting for endoscopies, although it is unclear why the numbers increased so dramatically in one week.

The increase means UHB had the highest number of two-year waiters in the latest data, making up 11 per cent of the total 9,146 across the English NHS.

The national figure, which stood at around 23,000 in January, has been coming down by around 7 per cent a week as trusts focus on meeting a high-profile target to eliminate two-year waits by July.

HSJ asked the trust to explain why it reported the surge and whether it was on trajectory to meet the national July target. A spokesperson said: “The increase in the trust’s position was due to a data reporting issue that related to a cohort of patients on a planned care pathway and does not affect the trust’s plan to eliminate its 104-week backlog.”

No such thing as a free parking space

The government’s commitment to providing free car parking to those identified as needing it is not being fulfilled by four trusts, HSJ has discovered.

The government policy specified the groups as being people with a disability, outpatients who attend hospital appointments at least three times a month for a period of at least three months, parents of sick children who are staying overnight, and staff working night shifts.

However, HSJ has found that free parking is not being provided by Guy’s and St Thomas’ FT, London North West University Healthcare Trust, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals FT, and the Royal Wolverhampton Trust.

NHSE chief finance officer Julian Kelly wrote to trusts in March 2021 to remind them of their obligation on free parking for those in greatest need, amid concerns some would not honour the commitment.

HSJ contacted the four trusts, which confirmed they were not providing free parking for all the categories covered. Read our full story to see their responses.

Also on hsj.co.uk today

In our expert briefing Mental Health Matters, Emily Townsend gives an update on the national push to increase annual physical health checks for people living with severe mental illness or a learning difficulty. And in comment, Marcus Fuller explains why he believes NHS England’s primary care network contract is working against the Fuller review.