DoH announces new partnership for north-east

The Department of Health (DoH) has this week announced the details of a new partnership with Bupa which aims to grant improved choice of treatment locations and lower waiting times for patients in the north-east of England.

Under the terms of the agreement, citizens in Northumberland Tyne & Wear will see an additional 6,000 NHS operations and procedures every year in a range of fields, including ear, nose and throat surgery, plastic surgery, gynaecology, neurosurgery, orthopaedics and other general surgery.

NHS North East has welcomed this agreement as a means of reducing waiting times and enhancing patient choice.

The first referrals to be seen under this scheme will occur later this month, followed by treatment of these patients at hospitals in Gateshead, North Tyneside and Washington.

Andy Burnham, health minister, described this collaboration agreement as “good news” for NHS patients in the north-east of England.

“NHS patients can begin to benefit from additional high quality services in a matter of weeks, with the assurance that treatment will remain free at the point of use,” he said.

He added that this deal with Bupa will help the government deliver its pledge that by 2008, no patient will be waiting for longer than 18 weeks for an operation.

This week, Norman Lamb, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for health, stated that there is “no excuse” for current waiting list figures following additional investment from Labour over the past decade.