Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT reports cancer target red risk

Only 84 per cent of patients are being treated within the deadline, according to board papers.

The papers say performance for bowel screening patients is pulling the overall figure down.

Strategic Health Authority-led meetings with senior clinicians and managers from University Hospitals of Leicester Trust and Kettering General Hospital have been held to scrutinise plans for recovery.

University Hospitals of Leicester Trust has reviewed capacity for the delivery of screening colonoscopies and the backlog has now been cleared as predicted (by December).

The trust has guaranteed to provide a minimum number of lists per month which will be adequate to achieve this and meet ongoing demand. It has also applied for a further clinician to undertake accreditation to become a screener.

Kettering General Hospital continues to provide back up capacity, but no other options exist in terms of use of capacity at other accredited sites.

Predicted improvements will begin to show in this target’s performance in January.