Private hospitals have been helping the NHS in a bid to reduce waiting lists in Cornwall.

Currently the number of people on NHS waiting lists in Cornwall for at least a year is continuing to rise, despite efforts to try and cut them.

More than 4,000 people have been waiting for treatment for over 52 weeks according to the latest figures.

NHS figures also show that there are still around 90 people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly who have been waiting for more than two years for treatment and nearly 900 people have been waiting for 18 months.

The new figures, which were shared with Cornwall Council’s health and adult social care overview and scrutiny committee this week, also show that the total number of people in Cornwall on waiting lists hit 65,500 in December.

This number has doubled since April 2020 and includes those in Cornwall waiting for treatment at Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust (RCHT) and University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP).

A detailed breakdown was also provided for what forms of treatment most people are waiting for in Cornwall. For patients of RCHT the highest numbers of patients waiting 18 months are in neurology, 295; orthopaedics, 243; cardiology, 36; and gynaecology, 34.

For those waiting for a year the highest numbers are in trauma and orthopaedics, 2,035; neurology, 794; cardiology, 564; and neurosurgery, 342. Across the entire waiting list the biggest group is in the trauma and orthopaedic service with 11,425 waiting for treatment.

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The committee heard that NHS providers were working hard to try and reduce the number of people waiting, particularly those who have been waiting for 18 months. RCHT said that it was “confident” that with the actions put in place all specialisms, other than orthopaedics, would be compliant with the 78-week standard by the end of March.

Among the actions put in place has been RCHT offering patients the option to travel to other hospitals for treatment and supporting them if they choose to do so. The trust has also been working with other providers – such as private hospitals and those in the independent sector – to carry out treatment.

By doing this they have created additional appointments and theatre capacity in many areas including general surgery, cardiology, orthopaedics, neurology, endoscopy, urology, gynaecology and oral surgery.

John Groom, director for planned care at Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board, said: “Despite our best endeavours, currently we are falling short of requirements. We are having to make up that shortfall by engaging with other partners.”

He said that by using other providers it would ease pressure on the health service in Cornwall and help to reduce the amount of time people are waiting for treatment. He said that whilst this might also mean using hospitals and services outside of Cornwall “in the main we would rather spend the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly pound with Cornwall and Isles of Scilly NHS providers within our borders”.