He revealed how more will be made of community diagnostic centres – where GPs can send people straight away to get tests and scans done – including expanding the one at Weymouth Community Hospital, extending the opening hours.
This would help to reduce the pressure on Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester.
Reducing waiting times is at the heart of the Labour Government’s elective reform plan, announced earlier this month, which pledges to meet the NHS standard that 92 per cent of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks for treatment by the end of the parliament.
At present, Dorset County Hospital is seeing a high demand for hospital beds, as well as a high demand for A&E appointments, so it is hoped that the elective recovery plan will help to ease pressures.
Sir Keir carried out a round of interviews with six local papers which were selected from around the country – including the Dorset Echo – as part of a campaign to promote the reform plan.
The Echo was allocated a few minutes with little opportunity to put direct questions about local issues.
(Image: Newsquest) Sir Keir told the Echo: “The background to this is that the waiting list currently stands at 7.5 million (for England). We said we would get to grips and make sure that people get the appointments that they need when they need them. It massively impacts people’s lives.
“The plan is to introduce community diagnostic centres where GPs can send people straight away to get tests and scans done – even on the same day.
Weymouth Community Hospital (Image: Google Maps)
These community diagnostic centres will be open seven days a week for twelve hours a day and the plan includes greater access to one at Weymouth Community Hospital.
By making the opening hours longer, the Government hopes people will be treated more quickly and conveniently in their neighbourhoods rather than having to rely on bigger hospitals.
Sir Keir further explained that the Labour government ‘want to make it more convenient for people,’ particularly those who are working.
The Government says 65 per cent of patients will receive planned treatment in the target timeframe by the end of next year.
According to government documents, 14 new surgical hubs will be created across England within existing hospitals by June and three others expanded – with more expected in coming years supported by the £1.5bn capital investment confirmed at the Autumn budget.
Another community diagnostic centre in Dorset is located on the top floor of Beales in the Dolphin shopping centre, Poole.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits the The South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre as he announces the government’s Elective Reform Plan earlier this month. Image: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street
As part of the elective recovery plan, the prime minister added: “The NHS app will also include much more information about appointments which will cut out a lot of phone calls.
“We will also be using technology and AI to speed up the waiting lists.”
Patients will be able use the NHS app to choose from providers and the Government will publish a set of minimum standards for elective care to improve patients’ experience and identify poor performance.
The plan also laid out proposals to ‘deliver care in the right place to make sure patients receive their care from skilled healthcare professionals in the right setting.’
When asked how this will impact hospices, considering NHS Dorset had recently cut £400,000 of funding to end of life charity, Weldmar Hospicecare, Sir Keir said: “It is a bold principle to have more healthcare in the community and where people are at a hospice, GPs will be able to do more. All of that is coming as well.”