The War on Waiting for Hospital Treatment WHAT HAS LABOUR ACHIEVED AND WHAT CHALLENGES REMAIN? ANTHONY HARRISON AND JOHN APPLEBY The King’s Fund is an independent charitable foundation working for better health, especially in London. We carry out research, policy analysis and development activities, working on our own, in partnerships, and through funding. We are a major resource to people working in health, offering leadership development programmes; seminars and workshops; publications; information and library services; and conference and meeting facilities. Published by King’s Fund 11–13 Cavendish Square London W1G 0AN www.kingsfund.org.uk © King’s Fund 2005 Charity registration number: 207401 First published 2005 All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. ISBN 1 85717 496 8 Available from: King’s Fund Publications 11–13 Cavendish Square London W1G 0AN Tel: 020 7307 2591 Fax: 020 7307 2801 Email:
[email protected] www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications Edited by Andrew Ross Typeset by Grasshopper Design Company Printed and bound in Great Britain by Hobbs Contents List of figures v About the authors vi Acknowledgements vii Glossary viii Abbreviations x Summary xi Introduction 1 1 Fifty years of policy failure 3 Inheriting 50 years of failure: New Labour’s war on waiting 6 2 Phase 1 (1997–2000): Piecemeal policy-making 8 Targeted funding 8 Operational and technical support 9 Policy impact 12 How were improvements in waiting lists and times achieved? 16 Overall assessment 18 Summary of