NHS staff across the East of England are being praised for virtually eliminating the longest waits for scans, checks, surgical procedures, and other routine treatment.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was one of the first Trusts in the East of England to eliminate their two-year waits.
At the end of January, 2,988 patients in the region were waiting for more than two years for treatment.
By the end of July, this had been reduced to just four patients waiting more than two years.
These four are still waiting due to capacity reasons in hospitals, but health bosses say they are all booked to receive their treatment soon.
Staff have also been praised for achieving this reduction, “despite higher levels of Covid and some of the busiest months on record for accident and emergency attendances.”
NHS Elective Recovery Plan
The NHS Elective Recovery Plan, published earlier this year, set out how the health service would address backlogs created during Covid.
The first step in the plan was focused on those patients waiting two years or more by the end of July.
Although patients who were happy to wait longer, did not want to travel to be seen faster, or for very complex cases requiring specialist treatment were not included.
Meanwhile, Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (MKUH) implemented a mixture of ‘ground-breaking technology’ and extended operating hours to reduce waiting times while improving patient outcomes.
Dr Melanie Iles, NHS East of England’s acting medical director, said: “The first milestone in the Elective Recovery Plan has been met in the east of England thanks to the outstanding work by dedicated NHS staff.
“Across our region, teams have turned their focus to supporting our longest waiting patients and changed the way we deliver care, using first-of-its-kind technology like robot surgery, and collaborative working with neighbouring Trusts to offer patients the opportunity to be transferred elsewhere and get the care they need as quickly as possible.”
National comparison
Nationally, in May 1.7 million people were referred for treatment, and almost 1.4 million people started treatment.
The NHS looked after 200,000 more elective patients compared to the same month in 2021.
The NHS will now focus on 18 months and longer waits by April 2023, prioritising the longest waiting patients and those with the greatest clinical need.
