Backlog of patients waiting more than two years for routine NHS treatment virtually eliminated’

The number of people waiting for more than two years for routine treatment has been ‘virtually eliminated’, according to the latest NHS data.

At the start of the year, there were more than 22,500 people who had been waiting two years or more for treatment. Now, there are fewer than 200 (not including those who have chosen to wait longer, did not want to travel for faster treatment and those with very complex cases).

The achievement marks the first milestone of the NHS Elective Recovery Plan, and the NHS will now turn its efforts to reducing the number of people waiting 18 months or longer for treatment.

“Hard work and dedication” of NHS staff

NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said this reduction could not have been achieved without the “hard work and dedication” of NHS staff.

“It has only been possible because the NHS has continued to reform the way we deliver care, using innovative techniques and adopting pioneering technology like robot surgery, and through building new relationships and mutual aid arrangements across systems to offer patients the opportunity to be transferred elsewhere and get the care they need as quickly as possible.

“The next phase will focus on patients waiting longer than 18 months, building on the fantastic work already done, and while it is a significant challenge our remarkable staff have shown that when we are given the tools and resources we need, the NHS delivers for our patients,” she said.

Growing healthcare workforce must be a priority to further reduce waiting times

This significant reduction has been achieved in a number of ways. The NHS introduced dedicated surgery hubs, increasing the number of procedures each day; day care surgeries which allow patients to recover at home; and transferring patients to different hospitals for those willing to travel.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said the government will continue to work with the NHS to get the health service back to peak performance.

To do this, the government plans to grow the healthcare workforce, open new community diagnostic centres and surgical hubs, and invest in innovative technology to ensure patients can access treatment they need while saving staff time.

Still a long way to go

However, Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, said there is still a long way to go in other areas, including mental health, community and hospital care backlogs, as well as relieving some of the pressure on the ambulance service.

She added that trust leaders must be committed to the next stage of the plan, including eliminating 78-week waits and cutting cancer diagnosis waiting times.