ENFIELD HOSPITAL SERVICES STRUGGLING TO COPE

·        Cancer Care is worst in Country

·        “Requires improvement” to just meet government targets

·        North Mid Hospital Ranks in Country’s Bottom 25%

·        The NHS Trust is performing 10% below National average

·        Nearly a quarter of patients in A&E wait more than 4 hours to be seen

The BBC has today released their analysis of the English healthcare system and has identified the worst individual waiting times across the country. The only local A&E available for residents of the Enfield Town area, North Middlesex University Hospital, has been identified as a poor performer and “requires improvement” to meet the minimum standards set by the government.

Enfield Town’s health has suffered significantly due to the cut backs in healthcare funding in the area. Although North Middlesex University Hospital has not made the worrisome “Top 10 List” of worst performers the hospital is one of the worst performing in England. It has ranked in the bottom 25% of all NHS trusts in the country and waiting time performances are nearly 10% below the national average.

North Middlesex University Hospital became the only local A&E unit for residents since the closing of Chase Farm’s unit in 2013.

Most worrying though for Enfield residents is the fact that “North Mid” has the worst performing cancer care unit in the country for waiting times. Only 59% of patients have begun treatment in 62 days of urgent GP referral. The next worst NHS Trust vastly outperforms the Enfield hospital and overall North Mid is well below the minimum target of 85%.

One area that is performing well is the “Planned Operations and Care” area of the hospital which is reaching the target of “waiting less than 18 weeks” for procedures 92.5% of the time. However this is a drop of almost 5% from last year’s result of 97.1%.

The figures give a worrying picture of healthcare in Enfield which has been neglected and underfunded by the government since coming to power in 2010. This will only add further resentment to the failed Conservative Party pledge which promised not to shut down the A&E unit at Chase Farm hospital, which was almost universally opposed by Enfield residents. Although Chase Farm is currently undergoing a multi-million pound redevelopment many will continue to ask questions as to why the important A&E unit was allowed to close, especially now with the revelations of how North Middlesex University Hospital is struggling to cope.

The news of these statistics will also mean that healthcare in Enfield will, once again, be a pressing issue in the up and coming local elections.