Blog: Waiting for what? (May 2024)

Summary

Patients’ waits do not begin when the NHS clock starts—on referral to a consultant. They begin when the person decides their symptoms merit professional attention. In this blog, Sue Brown, CEO of the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA) looks at the patient’s experience of waiting and how it differs from the NHS understanding. She argues that if the NHS is to deal with waiting lists well, it needs to understand what waiting means to patients.

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