Thousands of patients see NHS hospital referrals lost in ‘black hole’

Thousands of patients see NHS hospital referrals lost in ‘black hole’

One retired NHS worker said he felt ‘stuck in limbo’ to see a specialist for his back and hip pains

There are no reports of GP referrals not being added to waiting lists in Scotland but the latest case today is only the latest in FIVE examples of NHS England deliberately under-reporting cases

Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian today the above and: One in seven people in England who need hospital care are not receiving it because their GP referral is lost, rejected or delayed, the NHS’s patient watchdog has found. Three-quarters (75%) of those trapped in this “referrals black hole” suffer harm to their physical or mental health as a result of not being added to the waiting list for tests or treatment. Communication with pati…