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A substantial proportion of people in England in need of hospital care do not get the treatment they need because the referral by their GP gets lost, rejected or delayed, a patient advocacy body has found.

Extensive Damage Resulting From Processing Breakdowns

A staggering 75% of these patients stuck within this “processing limbo” suffer harm to their health, both physical and psychological as a consequence of failing to be placed the waiting list for diagnostics or care.

Contact between patients is notoriously inconsistent that seven in ten (70%) of those impacted only find out they have not been put on a waiting list only when they pursue the NHS because they have been left uninformed that a hold-up has occurred.

“For each and every misplaced, declined, or stalled referral is a human story of suffering, anxiety, and doubt,” commented an official from the watchdog.

People Abandoned in the Uncertainty and Worried

The study established that one in seven patient transfers are getting “stuck” between general practitioners and hospitals, leaving patients in the dark, and filled with worry about the timeline for treatment.

“Although advances have been made, an unacceptable volume of patients continue to be trapped in this referral ‘black hole’, indicating that they’re ‘enduring rather than enjoying life’ due to delays,” further stated the representative.

Worrying Data on Patient Experience

Another patient advocacy leader labeled the findings as “extremely concerning” and noted that delays to referrals can cause certain individuals afraid to leave their home.

“When seven out of 10 people just discover their referral was unsuccessful because they took the initiative to inquire themselves, something is badly wrong,” the representative added.

The survey also pointed out that a slight majority of 53% of everyone who is put forward for further treatment pursues additional healthcare while they wait for the NHS to take action.

• Approximately 7% opt for private care.
• 20% of individuals turns to other parts of the NHS, for example a new family doctor or walk-in centres.

“These findings suggest that processing hold-ups may increase pressure on different parts of the healthcare system,” the report noted.

One Patient's Plight

One patient – a former NHS worker – explained how he had been in a queue since the summer to see a expert about pain in his joints.

“Upon calling they were pleasant in conversation but they could not provide any positive updates. There is a chance it will take as long as a year before I am seen, and that’s only for the opening phase in a long process,” he said.

“My experience is that I’m stuck in limbo,” he concluded.

A Slight Upturn but Long Way to Go

The current figure of 14% of people whose referral falls through does represent progress on the previous figure of 21% who were experiencing the same fate when an earlier investigation was conducted in 2023.

In the interim, policymakers and healthcare executives have addressed the issue by making it easier for patients to track the progress of their referral via digital applications.

“However, even with these advances, many patients still state that ineffective updates, bottlenecks and uncertainty resulting from extended waiting times are affecting their well-being, daily life, and professional capacity,” the reporting body said.

Official Response

An official representative commented that the situation detailed in the report “cannot be tolerated”.

It was further noted that progress has been achieved since the survey was conducted in March.

• Such measures involve the roll-out of new safety rules for GPs.
• Extra financial investment is being directed towards general practice.
• There is a drive to bring in additional family doctors and reduce bureaucracy.

“Officials have acknowledged that it will take time to turn around the NHS but we are starting to see positive changes. Considerable effort a long way to go but we are noticing the green shoots of improvement,” the representative said.