Liberal Democrats want action on 'hidden waiting list' for scans in North Hampshire.

5.57.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 26th Apr 2005

Martin Tod is calling for action on hidden waiting lists

Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for North West Hampshire, Martin Tod, has found that people are having to wait up to 45 weeks for a CT scan at North Hampshire hospital.

Following the discovery by Liberal Democrat health spokesperson, Paul Burstow, of a national problem of 'hidden waiting lists' for diagnosis, Martin Tod wrote to local health care trusts to understand the situation locally. The North Hampshire hospital trust reported the following maximum waiting times for routine diagnostics:

MRI - 16 weeks

CT - 45 weeks

Barium Swallow/Enema - 34 weeks

IVP - 21 weeks

Nuclear medicine and ultrasound -. under 13 weeks.

These are maximum wait times and averages will be lower.

Martin Tod said:

"These waiting times are very worrying. People waiting on the hidden waiting lists for tests and scans have been forgotten by the Government. Despite Labour's promised millions, the local Hospital Trust is under serious financial pressure and there isn't the funding to enable diagnostics to be staffed properly. Labour trumpet shorter waiting lists for operations but have kept quiet about the hidden waiting lists for tests."

"Cutting waiting times for diagnosis will be a top priority for a Liberal Democrat government. We want to give more freedom to frontline staff and an extra £350 million over the next Parliament to help cut waiting times for diagnosis".