HOSPITALS in Bradford are successfully reducing a backlog of more than 200,000 out-patient appointments, a Council scrutiny committee will be told next week.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which provides services at Bradford Royal Infirmary and St Luke's Hospital, was criticised in a report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in April which identified "a very high volume" of patients awaiting a review of their care.

As of September 2014, the Trust had 205,257 patients on its tracking lists with no referral to future treatment, with 155,622 of those patients awaiting details of a follow-up appointment.

The Trust is to provide an update to Bradford Council's Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Thursday, in which it will tell members the number of patients on waiting lists is being reduced.

A report due to go before the committee states: "For those patients where capacity constraints continue to delay the patient's review appointment, clinical review is being undertaken to ascertain any potential level of harm due to continued delay.

"The number of patients waiting 'past' their see-by date has reduced, however further work is required with clinicians and the clinical commissioning group in relation to new follow-up ratios, which is expected to release capacity to support a more timely clearance."

In its report, the CQC said the Trust must ensure the backlog of appointment was addressed and prioritised according to need, with an assurance that the governance and monitoring of out-patient department bookings were managed effectively to identify "potential systems failures."

In response, the Trust said it has since reviewed its administrative processes and created a sustainable improvement plan to manage referral and follow-up waiting lists.

The report states: "The centralised patient booking service (CPBS) and divisional management teams now have clear visibility of the current service state and backlogs.

"Additional staff have been appointed with the majority now in post within the central booking team and the management of CPBS has transferred to the Head of Access as planned in July 2015.

"A clinical lead has been appointed to the programme with dedicated time to work with the team."

The CQC report also identified concerns over the Trust's estate, stating many areas were old and "no longer suitable to meet the needs of patients or staff."

A Trust representative will tell the meeting that its main focus over the next few years will be the completion and mobilisation of the new £28million Hospital Wing project at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

The report states: "The new hospital wing will provide the people of Bradford with ultra-modern, purpose-built medical, paediatric, and critical care facilities, along with a new integrated retail offering.

"Construction works are progressing well and are scheduled to be completed in late autumn 2016."

The meeting takes place at City Hall at 4.30pm on Thursday.