The demands on Great Western Hospital to treat rheumatology patients is so high they have decided they cannot take any new patients. Many more rheumatology patients have been referred to them than was planned by the main local commissioners – Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).
GWH’s Chief Executive told the GWH board: “Our priority is to maintain safe and high quality care for existing patients. Therefore our commissioners have agreed that from Wednesday 19 November, new patients needing rheumatology services will be referred elsewhere for treatment.”
“This decision was not taken lightly, however it means that the team can focus on existing patients, ensuring they receive high quality care and don’t have to wait as long for treatment. “
The team will be able to see a small number of new patients who need urgent care. Other local people needing rheumatology services will – for the time being – be referred to other local providers such as Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust or Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust.
Across the NHS in England hospital trusts recorded a 32 per cent increase over the last two years in the number of patients waiting for rheumatology treatments.
GWH is by no means the only hospital trust to take this sort of drastic action. In October, for example, the North Bristol Trust decided to refuse new referrals for spinal surgery – and some non-urgent patients were sent instead to the privately run BMI Ridgeway Hospital in Swindon.
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