North Middlesex University Hospital Trust released its annual report, highlighting that it met only five out of 17 performance standards due to the impact of Covid-19. Routine and elective non-cancer activities had to be cancelled to accommodate Covid-19 cases. In the past year, only 79.8 percent of patients were treated within the target 18-week ‘referral to treatment’ (RTT) time, significantly below the trust’s goal of over 92 percent.

The report also revealed that the trust struggled to meet various targets, including the 62-day standard for cancer treatment from GP referral, with a rate of 51.5 percent against a target of 85 percent or higher. Additionally, the trust fell short of the two-week wait targets for urgent referrals in suspected cancer cases and patients with breast cancer symptoms, hitting only 59.8 percent and 38.1 percent, respectively, below the 93 percent target.

Located in Sterling Way, Edmonton, North Middlesex University Hospital caters to over 600,000 residents in Enfield, Haringey, and neighboring boroughs like Barnet. The trust’s response to the pandemic involved conducting nearly 83,000 Covid-19 tests, administering over 12,700 Covid-19 vaccine doses in its mass vaccination hub, and distributing almost 11,400 doses in its hospital hub. Innovative measures, such as mobile cancer care units, were introduced to provide care outside hospital settings.

During the annual general meeting, Chief Executive Dr. Nnenna Osuji commended the hospital staff for their exceptional efforts during the pandemic, ensuring continued care for urgent cases, including cancer patients through the use of mobile units for chemotherapy treatments. Dr. Osuji also mentioned advancements in radiotherapy, which reduced patient sessions from 20-30 to just five, minimizing hospital visits.

Although the Care Quality Commission currently rates the hospital trust as ‘requires improvement,’ it has implemented a “patient first” improvement plan aimed at delivering measurable enhancements for both patients and staff.