Lambeth Pulse: Waiting lists

This is a report by Healthwatch Lambeth. The project is part of ongoing work looking at people's attitudes and experiences of waiting for care.

In March of 2024, Healthwatch Lambeth launched the Lambeth Pulse: a bimonthly survey exploring the views of the community on a variety of topics across health and social care. Each survey is designed to reach wider sections of the public and uncover potential lines of enquiry for future research.

Key findings

Waiting times
• Respondents were waiting for a wide range of appointments and treatments, with one third (31%) of respondents waiting for surgical services. One in six respondents was on multiple waiting lists. Waiting times differed depending on what respondents were waiting for, with surgery having the highest waiting times on average.

• Most respondents (84%) had waited for less than a year. Some respondents shared positive experiences of short waits, while others described much longer and tumultuous experiences.

• Nearly half (43%) of respondents were not given an estimated waiting time. Of those that were given an estimate, over a third (37%) had already waited for longer than their estimated waiting time.

• One in three respondents had their appointment or treatment delayed, and one in seven had their appointment or treatment cancelled. Of those respondents, two thirds (65%) were not given a reason for the delay or cancellation.

Information and Updates

• Two thirds (65%) of respondents did not receive updates on the status of their appointment or treatment. Of those that did receive updates, nearly half (45%) rated them positively.

• Nearly two thirds (63%) of respondents felt they were not given any advice on how to manage their symptoms or condition while waiting.

• Nearly half (43%) of respondents mentioned wanting better communication and updates during the waiting period. Several respondents felt frustrated by having to search for updates themselves, while others spoke about how the lack of information affected their ability to plan and take decisions about their care.

• Respondents also spoke about communication issues between their GP and the hospital during the referral process, as well as concerns over delays during hospital administration and triage.

Impact of Waiting

• Two thirds (66%) of respondents reported a decline in their health and wellbeing since joining the waiting list.

• Physical fitness was the most negatively affected, with over half (51%) of respondents stating their physical fitness had worsened since being on the waiting list.

• This was followed by participation in social activities, with 46% of respondents reporting a decline, then people’s condition/symptoms (42%), ability to work and study (36%), and mental health (35%).

• Respondents that had spent longer on the waiting list were more likely to report a decline in their wellbeing. 50% of respondents whose treatment had been delayed and/or cancelled reported a decline in their mental health, compared to 16% of other respondents.

• Respondents that received updates were less likely to report a decline in their mental health.

• Respondents that received advice on how to manage their condition/symptoms were just as likely to report a decline in their condition/symptoms as those that did not receive advice. However, only 10% of those that received advice reported a decline in their mental health, 
compared to 38% of those that did not.

• Respondents that had more than enough money for necessities were less likely to report a decline in their wellbeing since joining the waiting list.

• Respondents that self-described as having a disability, having a long-term condition, or being a carer were more likely to report a decline in their wellbeing since joining the waiting list.