A STUDY has found that NHS Bradford District and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is among the top ten best performing in England.

It treated 6.16 patients per 1,000 population in June of this year and 16 percent more than the month before.

Analysis of NHS England data by the Medical Technology Group (MTG) has revealed huge regional variation in the number of patients receiving NHS treatment in England, with CCGs in the North performing significantly better than those in the South.

The best performing region was the North East which treated 5.37 patients per 1,000 population in June, compared to 3.38 in London and 4.14 in the East. Of the 10 best performing CCGs, seven were in the North, while eight of the 10 worst performing CCGs were in the Midlands and South. 

The analysis found improvement across most CCGs in June, with 99 of 106 reporting an increase in the number of patients treated compared with the previous month. 

Kirklees CCG reported the greatest increase, treating 92 percent more patients between May and June this year. 

However, MTG said the NHS in England is treating "significantly fewer patients" than before the Covid-19 pandemic. 

A comparison found that 242,293 people received treatment in July 2021, nearly 22,000 fewer (eight per cent) than the same period in 2019 (264,108).

The study also exposes increases in waiting times across all regions in June. 

Patients in the East – the worst performing region - were waiting on average 22 weeks for treatment, an increase of 10.6 weeks compared with May. 

The North West saw the smallest increase of 4.8 weeks, with patients waiting on average 14.5 weeks for treatment, slightly below the national average of 14.8 weeks.

MTG Chair Barbara Harpham said: “The regional disparities that were present before the Covid pandemic – resulting from arbitrary decision-making from Commissioners - have only been exacerbated by the pandemic. 

“We urge NHS England to agree to a post-Covid patient charter that ensures rapid access to treatment and no arbitrary restrictions so patients are certain of the service they will receive.”

An NHS spokesperson said: “Caring for more than 420,000 Covid-19 patients requiring hospital treatment has had an inevitable impact on the health service’s ability to deliver other care for less urgent conditions, but NHS services have continued to be available for patients who needed them.

“NHS staff have been working flat out to make the best use of the additional funds the Government has made available with the number of routine treatments and operations increasing and the health service well ahead of target in recovering elective care, while also addressing any inequalities in care, so we urge anyone who needs the NHS to come forward so we can help you.”