WAITING times at Burton's Queen's Hospital have fallen so much that some patients are saying their operations are being scheduled too quickly.
Chief executive Paula Clark revealed the astonishing complaints after publishing the Belvedere Road centre’s latest key performance figures.
These show that Queen’s hit all of its headline targets in July, despite having to deal with 500 extra referrals four per cent more than planned.
Ms Clark said: “Incredibly enough, some patients now say it’s too quick and want time to think and plan.
“People still believe that if they need something like a hip operation, it’s going to be months.” Figures show Queen’s saw 94.6 per cent of admitted patients within the 18-week referral to treatment time, well over the 90 per cent target.
For non-admitted patients, including outpatients, the figure hit 99.7 per cent, smashing the referral to treatment target of 95 per cent.
On the need for hospitals to give a first treatment to 85 per cent of cancer patients within 62 days of GP referral, Queen’s managed 93.7 per cent.
The 18-week waiting time limits were introduced in April, ending an era in which the targets were 26 weeks for inpatients and 13 for outpatients.
Ms Clark said: “On the 18-week targets we are doing very well. The non-admitted patient figure is a really incredible performance.
“The funding that the NHS has had over the last few years has made it possible because we’ve been able to expand our capacity and see patients more quickly.”
Consultant numbers had increased and clinics made more efficient, she explained, adding: “Everybody across the country has done this. It’s been a real success story that’s been done as a result of what patients have said.
“The changes we’ve seen in waiting times over the last couple of years in the NHS have been quite remarkable.
“We are very proud to be able to offer such low waiting times to patients because it means that when they need to see a consultant we are able to see most for an outpatient appointment within five weeks.”
Despite the occasional complaint, more patients were choosing to be treated at the hospital, she said, a trend which had ‘delighted’ managers.
*Ms Clark is to take up her new role as chief executive of the Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on Thursday, October 1.
Queen’s director of corporate development, Helen Ashley, will take over until a permanent replacement is found.