The NHS has exceeded its target of delivering two million more elective care appointments, seven months ahead of schedule
This is a massive step forward in the goal to improve patient care nationwide and reduce NHS waiting times.
More appointments delivered by the NHS
Between July and November of last year, NHS England delivered almost 2.2 million more appointments than in 2023. These included essential treatments, tests, and scans such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endoscopy, and various diagnostic procedures.
This increase shows a significant part of the government’s Plan for Change, which addresses the strain on the NHS and allows quicker access to care.
Because of these additional appointments, the NHS performs 100,000 more treatments, tests, and scans weekly. The extra capacity has also helped reduce the waiting list by almost 160,000 people since the government took office, a stark contrast to the previous year when the waiting list had increased by around 33,000.
Several factors, including the expansion of NHS services during evenings and weekends, have driven the success of this initiative. The government has committed to continuing this progress with plans to modernise the system further and make care more accessible.
Improving NHS waiting times and lists
As part of these efforts, £40 million has been allocated to NHS trusts that show the most improvement in reducing waiting lists. This funding will be used to invest in new technologies, including AI-driven diagnostic tools and robotic surgery equipment, and upgrades to NHS facilities to provide patients with faster and more comfortable care environments.
While progress is being made, the government has stressed that there is still more work. A key goal is to ensure that by the end of this Parliament, 92% of elective care patients are treated within 18 weeks of referral. To help achieve this, a broader Elective Care Reform Plan has been rolled out, which will continue to increase appointment capacity and improve patient experiences by reducing unnecessary referrals and waiting times.
Better care for patients
The government plans to increase the availability of Community Diagnostic Centres, which will operate 12 hours a day, seven days a week. These centres will offer more same-day tests and consultations, allowing patients to receive treatment closer to home and speeding up their overall care journey.
In addition to all these changes, new surgical hubs will be introduced, bringing together specialists and cutting-edge technology to focus on delivering common, less complex procedures. These hubs will be shielded from winter pressures, helping reduce the backlog and allowing hospital wards to concentrate on more complicated cases.
The NHS will also benefit from a major investment in upgrading its technology, including a £2 billion boost to modernise systems and tackle the growing maintenance backlog of hospital buildings.
A national health awareness campaign has also been launched to encourage women to attend life-saving breast screenings, which have already been responsible for detecting thousands of cancers at an early, treatable stage.
Detecting thousands of cancers at an early, treatable stage
With these ongoing reforms and investments, the NHS is steadily moving towards its goal of reducing waiting times and improving the quality of care for all patients. The government remains committed to continuing this progress, ensuring that the NHS remains a trusted and efficient healthcare system for generations.
