NHS breaches target for hospital waits

by admin on 06/19/2011 1:22 PM

By Nicholas Timmins, FT, Public Policy Editor

Andrew Lansley’s bad week got no better on Thursday as data showed that the National Health Service in England has breached a pledge that no patient need wait more than 18 weeks for hospital admission, for the first time since the coalition government was elected.

In February 89.8 per cent of patients were admitted for treatment within 18 weeks when the official target is 90 per cent. The average wait for admission has also risen since the election, as have the absolute numbers waiting more than 18 weeks . . .

In February, the latest figures show, only 89.8 per cent were admitted within the target time and more than 39,500 were waiting beyond 18 weeks.

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Government medicine does not give timely access to healthcare, it only gives access to a waiting list.
In America, everyone has access to HealthCare at all times.
How can anyone with an acute appendix or gall bladder wait 18 weeks without dying?