Surgical Hubs Can Cut NHS Waits and Deliver More Surgeries: Health Foundation

NHS surgical hubs can deliver more operations for patients waiting for an elective surgery and help reduce waiting lists, a healthcare think tank has said. Over a million patients, waiting to be admitted to hospital for treatments, such as a hip replacement or cataract surgery, could see their waiting time cut and experience a shorter hospital stay. This can be achieved due to the “pivotal role” of elective surgical hubs, according to the analysis by the Health Foundation. Patients waiting for their elective surgery, often in avoidable discomfort and pain, can be treated sooner and more effectively, researchers suggested. “With the waiting list in England standing at 7.6 million, 1 in 9 people are waiting for care they need—often with worry, pain or discomfort. It is therefore vital that we understand and implement the most effective ways of reducing the backlog of care. The NHS has sought to decrease waiting times by setting up surgical hubs to increase access to operations,” said Charles Tallack, director of data analytics at the foundation....