Hospital's patient waiting list drops by 14,000
Stuart Woodward/BBCMore than 50,000 patients are still waiting for an appointment or treatment at a hospital despite the backlog falling by about 14,000 in the past year.
Southend Hospital said it has reduced its patient waiting list with additional theatre slots, regular checks on whether patients still required treatment and greater use of technology.
On Tuesday, Southend Hospital chief executive Fiona Ryan told Southend-on-Sea City Council's Health Scrutiny Committee that "a good bit of progress" has been made but there was "a long way to go".
About 9,000 new patients were joining the waiting list every month, the committee heard.
About 40,000 outpatient appointments took place each month at Southend Hospital, alongside about 11,000 procedures, inpatient and day-case treatments.
Ryan said: "We are starting to see that reduction in the waiting list but lots of work [is] needed to further get it into a balanced position."
PA MediaSouthend Hospital is part of the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which also runs Basildon Hospital and Broomfield Hospital.
The trust has previously been ranked the worst in England for starting cancer treatment within 62 days of referral.
Southend Hospital's 50,000-plus waiting list made up almost a third of the 165,227 backlog across the wider trust in August.
John Corrigan, a Reform UK councillor on the authority, suggested that some patients were being referred to Cora Health and effectively moved onto another waiting list.
Cora Health runs Mid and South Essex's specialist assessment and treatment for people with musculoskeletal and persistent pain.
The trust responded that some treatment, such as physiotherapy and pain management, was more appropriate for community care and it wanted to save hospital visits for patients that need them.
The trust acknowledged Cora Health had its own waiting list, but said the aim was to "give patients the right care the first time".
Southend Hospital said it was expanding patient-initiated follow-ups, allowing certain patients to request an appointment when they need one rather than on a schedule.
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