Are NHS waiting times in the South West improving?

It’s no secret that NHS waiting times have skyrocketed over the last few years due to the immense pressure that the health service experiences daily. However, employees are working hard to reduce these waiting times by improving factors like funding, healthcare capacity, patient demand and other initiatives.

In this article, we’ll be exploring the current situation regarding waiting times in the south west of England, identifying any trends that indicate progress has been made with the waiting time challenges in the region.

Current waiting time trends

The average waiting times for major locations in the south west of England vary between trusts. Cornwall currently has an average waiting time of 54 minutes; Plymouth has 104 minutes and Devon comes out on the bottom with 140 minutes.

Waiting times can differ depending on the medical treatments and procedures required. In 2022 alone, over six million people were awaiting NHS treatment in England.

Trauma and orthopaedic services, which include treatment for arthritis, fractures and dislocations, appeared to have the longest waiting list last year. Ophthalmology services were next on the list, with ear, nose and throat services shortly following behind.

Patient experience and satisfaction

Monitoring patient experience and satisfaction is incredibly important for the NHS, as this can help identify areas of improvement to ensure a better health service.

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“Fortunately, medical negligence is rare. However, sometimes things do go wrong and patients are unhappy with the care that they’ve received and they feel let down, and in a worse position than they would’ve been if they had correct care and treatment.”

Sara Stanger, Medical Negligence Solicitor, Been Let Down

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Whether you’re pleased with the quality of service or suffered some form of medical negligence, it’s important to follow the correct procedures.

The GP patient survey typically assesses the experience of access, making appointments, and the quality of healthcare received by the professional.

The NHSquicker app was designed to help patients spend less time waiting for treatment. It provides live waiting times based on your location, ensuring you can choose the right service for your healthcare requirements.

Initiatives to reduce waiting times

The NHS has introduced a range of initiatives to help tackle the waiting time challenges. By creating 94 surgical hubs, 106 community diagnostic centres, and using innovative technology such as surgical robots to ensure smooth and efficient processes, this has given patients who are happy to travel to alternative providers a shorter waiting time.

The NHS is also utilising the independent sector and bringing in additional measures, including evening and weekend work, to improve patient access and reduce delays.

Funding and capacity

Funding allocations and healthcare capacity are a huge influence on patient waiting times. The NHS has recently received fresh funding of £250m to help reduce these waiting times, which will help create 900 new beds for urgent and emergency care services.

The government has begun planning for the winter months early to help speed up the flow in hospitals to reduce lengthy treatment times.