To bring the NHE365: Backlog virtual event to a close our final panels topic of discussion was regarding patient flow, looking at how we can effectively streamline the hospital process to improve patients time spent in hospital.
Our panellists: Alex Afifi, Senior Project Manager,Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Trust, Stephen Rocks, Economist at The Health Foundation and Seamus McGirr, Director of Nursing & Urgent Care at NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit, provided our audience with an engaging discussion around the barriers some trusts are facing when it comes to patient flow and how factors such as funding and training can effect this also.
Economist, Stephen Rocks discussed ‘missing patients’ and the drastic drop we have seen in patient referrals since the beginning of the pandemic. He said: “the currently backlog is over six million people but a concern regarding to this waiting list is that it may only be the tip of the iceberg”.
