Report: NHS Patients Waiting More Than 9 Months on Average for Cataract Surgery in 2021

Reports from 12 NHS hospitals across London and Bedfordshire have revealed sharp increases in waiting times for cataract surgery from 2019 to 2021. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic can be seen, as waiting times increased 35% from 2019 to 2020², followed by a 36% increase in waiting times from 2020 to 2021¹. This means that patients at these hospitals who have had their cataract surgery in 2021 were waiting more than 9 months on average from when they were referred to when they received their surgery¹.

Cataract surgery waiting time in 2021 varies significantly between the 12 NHS hospitals whose data was requested. The longest total waiting time is 94 weeks (1.8 years) at King’s College Hospital in Denmark Hill, while the shortest is only 10 weeks at Luton & Dunstable University Hospital.⁴

By comparison, the average (median) waiting time for the NHS nationally for all procedures carried out so far in 2021 is 10 weeks,⁵ and the waiting time for ophthalmology-specific procedures is 11 weeks.⁶ However, a large proportion of these patients will require urgent surgery, driving the average wait time down. Cataract surgery waiting lists are some of the longest in the NHS due to this procedure being of a comparatively low clinical priority.

According to Ali Mearza, consultant ophthalmic surgeon at OCL Vision, longer waiting times can not only have an impact on a patients’ vision but also makes the procedure more complicated to carry out. 

“Cataracts are progressive over time, so the longer the wait, the worse they get. This translates to further worsening of vision which in turn can affect people’s independence and quality of life. For example, patients with cataracts may no longer meet the driving standard of vision, they may have more frequent falls which can result in other problems, or they may not be able to read," Mr. Mearza said. 

As cataract surgery is the most common surgery performed in the UK, this understandably has led to pressure on the NHS and long waiting lists, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This in turn has led to more patients than ever turning to private clinics like OCL Vision to carry out their cataract surgery. In addition to reduced waiting times, another benefit of private cataract surgery is the additional lens choices not available with the NHS. 

References

1. Average (mean) waiting times from referral to cataract surgery in the aforementioned trusts was 204 days in 2020 and 278 in 2021 (up to 31st July), a 36% increase. “Waiting time” refers to the time waited by patients that had cataract surgery in the specified year

2. Average (mean) waiting times from referral to cataract surgery in the aforementioned trusts was 151 days in 2019 and 204 in 2020, a 35% increase. “Waiting time” refers to the time waited by patients who had cataract surgery in the specified year  

3. Average (mean) waiting times from referral to cataract surgery in the London based trusts (the aforementioned trusts excluding the Bedfordshire Hospital NHS trust) was 175 days in 2019 and 331 in 2021 (up to 31st July), an 89% increase. “Waiting time” refers to the time waited by patients that had cataract surgery in the specified year

4. King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - Denmark Hill has an average waiting time of 656 days in 2021. Bedfordshire Hospital NHS Trust - Luton had a waiting time of 72 days in 2021. Data source: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2020-21/

5. Average (median) waiting times in 2021 (up to 31st July) from referral to treatment (RTT) for completed admitted pathways for all treatments in England was 9.8 weeks

6. Average (median) waiting times in 2021 (up to 31st July) from referral to treatment (RTT) for completed admitted pathways for ophthalmic specific treatments in England was 11.3 weeks