Thousands more patients are being treated faster as East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) improves waiting times for planned care and operations.
The interim Chief Executive of the Trust that runs Colchester and Ipswich hospitals has today said he is pleased to report a significant improvement in waiting times for patients, but that there is still more work to do, as the organisation moves up a level in the National Oversight Framework rankings, from Level 4 to Level 3 – the most improved in the East of England.
Adrian Marr said colleagues at ESNEFT have pulled out as many stops as possible to ensure patients are waiting for less time for their planned care or operations.
“I’m pleased that local people are benefitting from the improvement work we have put in place, particularly those patients waiting 18 weeks to begin treatment following their referral from their GP. This improvement, moving from 54% to 60% in the three months to the end of March this year, of patients waiting no more than 18 weeks means that more than 5,400 patients have been able to get back to their day-to-day lives more quickly.
“Of course, we are not complacent, and we still have more work to do continue this trajectory for all our patients, and we are committed to sustaining this work through our culture of hard work and continuous improvement.
“Since January this year, we have put in place a range of initiatives, thanks in part to our new patient information system Epic, which has supported us to see the information we have about how we work more clearly. Through this and a lot of dedicated work from our colleagues, we have identified more consistent processes and created additional appointment spaces for first outpatient appointments.
“Crucially to supporting patients on the path to receiving treatment, we have also improved our waiting times for diagnostic appointments such as scans or X-rays. We also look forward to opening a new community diagnostic centre in Ipswich this year to continue this work.
“Our patient app MyChart has also enabled us to offer more short-notice appointments if another patient cancels. Patients using MyChart are sent a message when a closer appointment within 3 to 28 days is available, which they can accept at the click of a button from their mobile device wherever they are. From the beginning of June, this improved service, known as FastPass, will be available to all adult services. So far, FastPass has saved patients who have accepted an average of 22 days waiting for their appointment.
“Our task now is to continue on this improvement journey, working to our goal of 92% of patients being seen within 18 weeks by the end of March 2029.”
Health and Social Care Secretary, James Murray, said, “Patients deserve honesty about how their NHS is performing. By being transparent about outcomes, we’re empowering patients, driving improvement and ensuring every part of the NHS is focused on delivering the best possible care.
“These results show where the NHS is getting it right and where we must go further. They also recognise the dedication of NHS staff, including those in East Suffolk and North Essex, who have worked tirelessly to deliver excellent care for patients.”
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