Birmingham hospitals are under severe pressure, with the number of patients waiting for treatment in the thousands.
The number of people waiting for routine hospital treatment in the city and surrounding areas has grown to over 240,000.
The NHS England figures for the end of March show the proportion of people who have been waiting for 18 weeks or less is around 69%. The NHS target is for 92% of patients to be seen within 18 weeks.
None of the hospital trusts in Birmingham are meeting the target, and you can see the ranking for each of the five Birmingham NHS trusts below.
The service with the biggest waiting list in Birmingham is the ear, nose and throat service, with 30,695 waiting for procedures.
The average wait time for hospitals across Birmingham is 13.5 weeks.
Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director for NHS England, said hospital teams were making good progress in tackling the backlogs, with record numbers of diagnostic tests and cancer checks taking place in March as part of what he described as “the most ambitious catch-up plan in NHS history”.
But Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “All parts of the NHS are unquestionably struggling.”
Here, we reveal the hospital departments at Birmingham trusts with the biggest waiting lists, as of March 2022 - the latest available data.
1. Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has 7,024 patients who have been waiting for treatment. The trauma and orthopaedic service, which performs surgeries such as knee and hip replacements, has the largest waiting list, with 5,338 patients awaiting treatment. | Google maps
2. Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has 18,491 patients who have been waiting for treatment. The Oral Surgery Service has the largest waiting list, with 5,978 patients awaiting treatment. | JPI
3. Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust has 56,193 patients who have been waiting for treatment. The Ophthalmology Service has the largest waiting list, with 10,837 patients awaiting treatment. Photo: Google Maps
4. Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust has 20,073 patients who have been waiting for treatment. The Paediatric Service has the largest waiting list, with 11,023 patients awaiting treatment. | Getty Images