Starmer kicks off the year with a new plan to tackle NHS backlogs
Today marked the first day of Parliament in 2025, and the Prime Minister kicked off the year by announcing a new Elective Reform Plan, aimed at addressing NHS waiting lists.
Despite peaking in late 2023, waiting lists in England remain at a record level – sitting at 7.54m. Today’s announcement follows the Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ £22bn increase to health and social care spending in her first budget, with the government aiming to ensure 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks for elective treatment.
Central to the plan is the expansion of Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) and Surgical Hubs. These facilities aim to separate planned care from the pressures of emergency services and seasonal demand. Currently, 165 CDCs operate in various locations, including shopping centres and university campuses, with further expansion planned. Surgical hubs, described as "hospitals within hospitals", will focus on planned surgeries using dedicated resources and staff.
In his speech today in Epsom, the Prime Minister also spoke of the need to make greater use of technology. Patients will be able to use the NHS App to book appointments, view test results, and check waiting times. The app will offer the ability to choose appointment locations, with an emphasis on providing more transparency and convenience. Artificial intelligence will also be deployed to predict missed appointments, while wearable technology will allow for remote monitoring, reducing the need for in-person consultations.
Changes to patient care pathways are also highlighted in the plan, including group appointments for patients with long-term conditions and one-stop clinics designed to carry out assessments, diagnoses, and treatments on the same day. Patients will also have the option to decline some follow-up appointments, freeing up over a million appointments annually, according to government estimates.
Furthermore, the government has also secured an agreement with the independent healthcare sector to help reduce waiting times further. This collaboration will target areas with high demand, such as orthopaedics and gynaecology. Plans include standardising digital systems across the NHS and private providers to give patients a clearer choice of appointments. There is also an emphasis on workforce development, with training initiatives designed to grow capacity in the elective care workforce.
The government says it will introduce national standards for elective care, providing patients with clear expectations and identifying areas where performance falls short. NHS Trusts making the most progress in reducing waiting times will receive additional funding for local improvements, such as new equipment or ward maintenance.
Whether the plan will achieve its ambitious targets remains to be seen. With pressure mounting on the NHS to recover from the effects of the pandemic and ongoing workforce challenges, its success will likely depend on effective implementation and sustained investment.