A new government initiative is making significant strides in reducing NHS waiting lists in areas with high levels of economic inactivity.
Spearheaded by Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting, the programme deploys top clinicians to NHS hospitals in these regions, resulting in faster reductions in waiting times.
Data from October 2024 to January 2025 reveals that waiting lists in targeted areas have decreased at more than double the national rate, falling 130% faster than the average. This initiative has successfully removed 37,000 cases from waiting lists across 20 areas, averaging nearly 2,000 patients per local trust.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting commented:
“The investment and reform this government has introduced has already cut NHS waiting lists by 193,000, but there is much more to do.
“By sending top doctors to provide targeted support to hospitals in the areas of highest economic inactivity, we are getting sick Brits back to health and back to work.
“I am determined to transform health and social care so it works better for patients – but also because I know that transformation can help drag our economy out of the sluggish productivity and poor growth of recent years.
“We have to get more out of the NHS for what we put in. By taking the best of the NHS to the rest of the NHS, reforming the way surgeries are running, we are cutting waiting lists twice as fast at no extra cost to the taxpayer.
“As we boost NHS productivity and deliver fundamental reform through our Plan for Change, you will see improvements across the service in the coming weeks and months.”
The initiative's success is attributed to the introduction of more productive working methods by leading clinicians. These include running operating theatres like Formula One pit stops to minimise downtime between procedures. Notable improvements have been seen in:
- Northern Care Alliance & Manchester Foundation Trust: Super clinics with up to 100 patients seen daily in one-stop appointments, including on-site Employment Advisors.
- Warrington & Halton: Weekend super clinics for gynaecology, reducing the need for follow-up appointments.
- East Lancs Hospitals Trust: Streamlined diagnostic pathways and increased capacity for echocardiography, significantly reducing waiting lists.
The initiative aims to improve health outcomes and reduce economic inactivity due to ill health. With the number of adults unable to work due to long-term sickness at its highest since the 1990s, this programme is crucial in getting people back to health and work, ultimately reducing the welfare bill.
Following the programme's success, the government plans to roll out similar teams to additional providers this year. This expansion is part of a broader effort to boost NHS productivity and further cut waiting times. The initiative aligns with the government's Plan for Change, which includes significant investments and reforms to improve healthcare delivery.
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