New government plan aims to cut NHS waiting times
Today, the government published its NHS Elective Reform Plan to reduce waiting times for planned hospital care.
The plan sets out how it aims, by 2029, for 92% of patients to have a diagnostic test, outpatient appointment or operation within 18 weeks of a GP referral - a target the NHS has not met for the past 10 years.
The plan includes:
- An interim national target of 65% of people to be seen or treated within 18 weeks of their referral by March 2026. Each NHS hospital will have to make improvements from their current performance on wait times.
- Compulsory training for administrative staff, to help improve communication with patients.
- Appointment information for 85% of all acute trusts to be available via the NHS App by March 2025.
- The creation of a named patient’s experience champion at all major hospitals.
Responding to the announcement, our Chief Executive Mr. Ash Green said:
“We welcome this new plan’s focus on better waiting experiences, and not just wait times. In Healthwatch England's ‘Patient Vision 2030’ plan last year, our national Healthwatch had called for a focus on better-trained admin staff and expansion of the NHS app to ensure people got regular and informed updates on when they’d be seen, signposting to local support, and help to manage their condition while they waited for treatment.
"This is something we support locally.
"We also welcome the refreshed electives plan, which sets out milestones the NHS must hit to fully meet the 18-week target by 2029. Some hospitals are better than others at clearing backlogs, so this target will help clarify that each must improve from its current position.
“Overall, hospitals must tackle waiting lists in an equitable way – this relies on the NHS knowing who waits the longest, whether children, disabled people or those on low incomes, and taking action to address these inequalities.
“We now hope the urgency on tackling elective waits is extended to other areas such as mental health or GP appointments, within the upcoming NHS 10-year health plan.”
