Surgery delays 'to balance books'

The hospital has closed wards and delayed elective surgery

A health trust in Kent has admitted having to scale back hospital surgery after reaching targets too early.

Dartford's Darent Valley Hospital has had to close wards and redeploy staff who would otherwise be caring for patients having non-urgent operations.

The primary care trust (PCT) which commissions the hospital services said some patient appointments had been deferred in order to balance the books.

The PCT apologised but said patients would be seen within national targets.

Liz Cracknell, deputy chief executive of Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley NHS Primary Care Trust, said: "The PCT has a responsibility to balance its books.

Darent Valley is a victim of its own success Adam Holloway MP

"If it overspends in any one service area, there is a risk that will adversely affect patient care in another area.

"In future years, we will be putting more money into hospital services to meet the government's 2008 target of no patient waiting more than 18 weeks from GP referral for planned hospital care."

Adam Holloway, Gravesham's Conservative MP, said hundreds of patients would now have to wait longer for gynaecological, urological and orthopaedic surgery after surgeons "over-performed".

He said: "Darent Valley is a victim of its own success. This hospital has managed to get its waiting times right down.

'Match capacity

"Three wards are closed and about 200 patients will have their admission or appointment delayed."

A spokesman for Darent Valley Hospital, run by Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, said: "There are currently three wards closed as part of the financial strategy to match hospital capacity with the planned patient activity levels commissioned by Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley PCT.

"There are a number of patients on the waiting list, who will now have their admission or appointment after 31 March.

"These are non-urgent patients and all will have been seen within national waiting times targets."