Concerns raised over children's waiting times at University Hospitals of Leicester

NHS Leicester City board papers say there are concerns in a number of specialties in relation to the 18 week referral to treatment time for children at admitted and non admitted level.

Accident and emergency performance also continues to present significant problems but lately there has been some improvement with the
standard to see patients presenting within four hours being achieved on “some days”.

It is now highly unlikely that UHL will achieve the target of 95 per cent for type 1 and 2 attendance.

The cancer targets are being achieved in the year to date but there is risk around the 62 day target for NHS Leicester City. This has unachieved on a number of occasions due to a small number of people on the pathway.

Chlamydia screening remains extremely poor in antenatal services and commissioners have spent time with UHL discussing how this position can be improved.

A board member commented that senior clinicians working in the urgent care settings at UHL are aware of the problems and are keen to do something about it to improve the service to patients. Managers must be minded to work with them.

Board members met with the consortia GPs who will be negotiating the contract with UHL over next few months and a clear message going out from the
board is that there “must be traction on these issues and the four hour target must be achieved”.

This is due to be discussed further with trust chief executive Malcolm Lowe-Lauri.