Lincolnshire hospitals chief explains why nearly 1,000 patients still waiting for treatment after more than a year

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust deputy chief executive Mark Brassington told Lincolnshire County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday that the trust had seen a peak of 2,000 patients waiting for treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that has now more than halved.

“I’m pleased to say as of today that’s down to 937, but that’s still 937 more patients than we should have waiting over a year,” he said.

Of those, no patients are currently classed as priority one — those needed to be seen in 72 hours.

The latest figures also show that, excluding cancer patients, the majority of patients needing surgery within a month are currently waiting just over six weeks.

Cancer patients are being treated within the limit, hospital bosses said.

Mr Brassington told councillors: “We know that we’ve got more to do and we are committed to get below the four weeks and to speed up access as far as we can.

Just one patients is currently being treated for COVID in United Lincolnshire Trust facilities – though bosses said some were “COVID-query”.

Mr Brassington told the committee the trust had treated more than 3,000 COVID-positive patients since the start of the pandemic, with 104 in wards at the height of the first wave and 253 at the peak of the second.

“It’s good to see we have that single patient, but we look at the news and hope the vaccination programme continues to break that link,” he said.

A hospital vaccination hub, which has since closed, managed to provide staff and patients with 41,000 doses.