Thousands of patients wait over a year for hospital treatment in Bristol and South Gloucestershire

Almost 5,000 residents in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire are waiting more than a year for hospital treatment, new figures reveal.

But the number of patients facing an even longer wait are now falling, the latest data shows.

A total of 4,763 people referred to hospital had not been seen within 52 weeks as of June, a leap from 4,164 the previous month, according to a report at an Integrated Care Board meeting.

The report said the number increased at both North Bristol NHS Trust, which runs Southmead Hospital, and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Trust, which is in charge of the Bristol Children’s Hospital and Weston General.

It said: “Focused work to facilitate elective recovery ambitions are being implemented.”

The report also revealed the number of patients waiting more than 78 weeks fell from 801 in May to 744 in June.

The report which was presented to the meeting on 1 September said only 57 per cent of emergency patients at the area’s A&E departments were admitted or discharged within the four-hour maximum target.

Less than half of urgent cancer referrals were completed within the expected fortnight limit, which was also worse than the previous month.

The report said factors included “persistence of a very high number” of patients in acute beds with “no criteria to reside” – also known as bed blockers.

They also said covid had impacted the flow of patients through the system as well as staff absences which totalled 499 at the start of July.

Credit: Local Democracy Reporter Service/Adam Postans