NHS hospital waiting time figures worst in seven years

[Pete]

In February, almost 40,000 admitted patients did not start consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of referral

Is this true or is it election spin?

http://bit.ly/1aqavG3

[therealjr]

Lies dammed lies and statistics?
For example do we know that all those 40k actually needed consultant led treatment? And needed it quicker than 18 months?
Case in point.
Someone is taken to hospital with severe stomach/chest pains. Tests indicate it could be a heart attack so they are admitted. Further tests show it isn't a heart attack and is more likely to be gall stones. Because the treatment isn't very nice and the patient has no further pain it's decided to do nothing unless the pain returns.
So if the pain returns at say 20 weeks and person is then admitted again does that count as greater than the 18 weeks

[Old Cruser]

A friend of mine certainly wasn't that long during the last months ( Chesterfield Hospital )

When I went in as an emergency in November and admitted I was told what needed to be done and the timescale it would take - they were spot on!! My operation was indeed all done and dusted by March this year.

I have visited A& E 3 times during the last year  ( once with daughter and twice myself ).

Waiting time wasn't too bad at all, in fact I think I have posted the same in another thread 'somewhere' on here.

My longest wait was for a bed on the emergency care unit, but even that wasn't as bad as some have reported.

Maybe it depends on the hospitals and also a bit of luck as to how busy they are when you go in?

Lots of scaremongering going around at the moment I reckon.