Should pilot sites ‘go dark’ while testing new A&E measures?
The arguments for 'going dark' look weak, compared with the damage to official statistics and public confidence in them.
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18 weeks “no longer important”?
English waiting times will continue to grow, indefinitely, until the NHS gets closer to keeping up with demand.
Success on one-year waits, but waiting list grows to record-breaking size
The English NHS achieved its important ambition to halve the number of one year waiters during 2018-19. However the underlying waiting list continued to grow, reaching record levels and frustrating the other main ambition for elective waits.
Waiting list grows 7.3 per cent
The English waiting list is still growing, and the admission rate still faltering, despite the promises and plans.
We are taking the wrong approach to beds and bed occupancy
A better understanding of risk will underpin the case for reducing today's high bed occupancies.
Average RTT waiting times are pointless and a missed opportunity
Average waiting time targets will make the numbers look smaller, but that's about it. Field testing should explore other options that might actually deliver the review's aims.
January’s efforts slow the deterioration in elective waits
In spite of record pressures on A&E waiting times, the English NHS managed to have a fairly normal January for elective care.
Separating electives from non-electives
Are hot and cold sites the right answer? The last in a 7-part series on bed occupancy.
Different beds, different bed occupancies
The differences between medicine and maternity, big units and small ones. Part 6 of a 7-part series on bed occupancy.
Waiting times in the Long Term Plan
The Long Term Plan will be a bit hollow until other reports fill it in later this year. But it contains some tantalising hints about how things are likely to go.