Trust apologises over ear, nose and throat delays

Some people are said to have been waiting five years for an appointment

A trust has apologised after it said nearly 9,000 patients waiting for ear, nose and throat (ENT) referrals at hospitals in Kent have experienced "unnecessary delays".

The delays are at the Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham and the Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford.

The patients impacted include 4,279 adults and children waiting for a first outpatient appointment, and 4,570 existing patients waiting a follow-up appointment, diagnostic test or procedure.

Medway NHS Foundation Trust apologised and said it had commissioned a full investigation "to understand how the error occurred and if anyone has come to harm as a result".

It said on Friday it found 8,849 patients waiting to be seen by ENT specialists whose referrals had not been correctly managed in line with NHS waiting time standards.

First reported by the Health Service Journal, it is believed that some patients have waited up to five years for an appointment.

The patients impacted are predominantly in the Dartford, Gravesham, Swanley, Bexley and Greenwich areas.

'Immediate action'

It is understood that when the referrals were first received, they were reviewed by a clinician and assessed as routine, meaning that no urgent concerns, such as cancer, were identified at the time.

Jonathan Wade, interim chief executive of Medway NHS Foundation Trust and chief executive of Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, apologised for the delays.

"We have taken immediate action to ensure referrals to this service are correctly managed, with stronger oversight and improved systems in place," he added.

Mr Wade said the hospitals were contacting patients to make arrangements for them to be seen as quickly as possible.