Exclusive: Figures seen by the Guardian show lengthy wait times for diagnostic tests such as ultrasound and CT scans

Figures seen by the Guardian show lengthy wait times for diagnostic tests such as ultrasound and CT scans

Some patients in England are waiting up to two-and-a-half years for important diagnostic tests such as ultrasound, MRI and CT scans, according to figures seen by the Guardian.

The longest waits were two-and-a-half years for an MRI scan, almost two years for an ultrasound and a year for a CT scan, responses to freedom of information requests by the Liberal Democrats show.

People with heart problems are among the worst affected. Examples from NHS trusts included a 49-week wait for an echocardiogram and a 475-day wait for an angiography.

Under the NHS constitution, patients should wait less than six weeks for diagnostic tests. The target is for only 1% to wait more than six weeks, but now 25% of all patients do so, according to research from the House of Commons library, commissioned by the Lib Dems.

  • ChariotwheelOP
    20•1 year ago

    The health minister, Maria Caulfield MP, said: “If the Liberal Democrats really cared about reducing NHS waiting lists, they wouldn’t have voted against our Minimum Service Levels Act, which will reduce strike disruption for patients.

    Obviously strikes are the reason for this, and not another symptom of the same disease of the Tories slowly breaking the back of the NHS.

    • Bernie EcclestonedEnglish
      18•1 year ago

      I saw an advert on TV for some private healthcare firm offering an appointment within 48 hours, which is exactly what the government wanted all along. Starve the beast so that people get so fed up they’ll pay for the service they should already be getting.

      • ChariotwheelOP
        11•1 year ago

        We could see it for years. It’s so sad that the Tories get to go through with their plan in plain sight (and keep getting voted in again and again).

        Now, I am from Germany, and I have no right to critisize someone else for not stopping voting conservative, but come on. Under Merkel ours at least pretended to be nice.

        • Bernie EcclestonedEnglish
          6•1 year ago

          They are toast at the next election, they are just stuffing their pockets until then

              • Blake [he/him]English
                2•1 year ago

                Believe it or not, but the labour party has changed somewhat in the last 75 years. The current Labour Party are just a Lite version of the Conservative Party. They will not save the NHS.