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List of shame

20/12/2001

'SLOPPY' Hope Hospital managers who wrongly reported waiting list figures have been named and shamed in a damning NHS report.

But Hope's Trust bosses insist they are not guilty of deliberate 'fiddling' or deception.

The hospital, one of nine across the country found guilty of 'inappropriately adjusting' numbers and breaching trust, excluded 1,400 people from official figures.

The blunder which has seen Hope branded as one of the worst offenders in England, took place under former trust chief Bill Sang and after yesterday's shocking revelation, new boss David Dalton insisted he would do everything in his power to prevent it happening again and warned heads would roll.

The report reveals waiting time for 697 in-patients and 685 out-patients was mis-reported over a 19 month period.

Mr Dalton said: "We are truly sorry some patients have waited longer than the NHS maximum wait. The systems weren't good enough and there were lots of errors made along the way.

"The primary reason is sloppy management. I think senior management didn't do all they should have to make sure figures were properly reported. There's a further enquiry and we will consider disciplinary action."

Salford's MP and junior health minister, Hazel Blears, has heavily criticised the hospital. "It's completely unacceptable that figures have been mis-reported in this way," she said.

The trust claims it has now reduced waiting lists with no patients waiting over 18 months, and plans an internal inquiry.

See also: Salford hospital trust slammed for waiting list figures blunder