The overall backlog has dropped again from 7.48 million to 7.46 million, while the estimated number of patients waiting is down from 6.28 million to 6.24 million.

Monthly figures show that hardworking NHS staff delivered a record 18 million treatments in 2024, hundreds of thousands (4%) more than in 2023 (17.35 million) and 5% more than in 2019 (17.1 million).

In December alone, the NHS carried out 1.33 million treatments, up 6.5% on 1.25 million the year before.

The proportion waiting less than 18 weeks was 58.9%, up from 56.6% in December 2023.

As part of the ambitious elective care reform plan, the NHS is aiming to return to the constitutional standard of treating 92% of patients within 18 weeks by March 2029, and to get to 65% by March 2026.

The number waiting more than a year for treatment fell to 200,375 making up just 2.7% of the overall waiting list – the lowest proportion since August 2020.

Thanks to the continued expansion of community diagnostic centres, the NHS also delivered more than 28.3 million tests and checks in 2024 – a record year – up a fifth on 23.6 million in 2019 and up 7% on 26.5 million in 2023. NHS staff delivered 2.24 million checks in December alone, up 21% on 1.85 million in 2019.

The NHS met the faster diagnosis standard for cancer again in December with 78.1% of people receiving the all clear or a definitive diagnosis. There were 20,000 more people diagnosed or given the all clear within the standard compared to the same month last year (190,571 in December 2024, compared to 170,155 in December 2023).

In 2024 there were 3,126,797 urgent referrals for suspected cancer, a 4% increase compared to 2,995,245 in 2023 and more than double the number a decade ago with 1,500,336 urgent GP referrals in 2014.

There has been progress on the 62-day target with more than 7 in 10 people being treated within the standard for the first time – the highest on record since standards changed in October 2023.

Despite huge pressures on the NHS in January with soaring levels of winter illnesses like flu and norovirus, high bed occupancy and difficulties discharging patients, 73% of patients were seen within 4 hours in A&E. This was both an improvement on the month before (71.1%) and the same month last year (70.4%).

Ambulance response times across all categories were also improved on both last month and last January.

Separate data for last week (week ending 9 February) showed continued pressure from winter illnesses including an average 948 patients a day in hospital with norovirus – more than two thirds higher than the same week last year (565 week ending 11 February 2024).

There was also an average of 50,954 staff absences each day last week, up 5% on last year (48,482), and adult bed occupancy remained high at an average of 96%.

An average of 14,087 beds were taken up by patients who were medically fit for discharge each day last week, the highest so far this winter.

Professor Julian Redhead, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Urgent and Emergency Care, said: “These latest figures show how innovations and the hard work of staff is now delivering consistent progress in bringing down the backlog, with the waiting list falling for the fourth month in a row and a record 18 million treatments delivered last year – on top of huge increases in the number of tests and checks, including for cancer, giving people clarity with that all-important diagnosis or all clear.

“This post pandemic period is potentially the hardest the NHS has ever managed and that has certainly been true this winter with soaring levels of viruses, high bed occupancy and difficulties discharging patients – with last week seeing 14,000 beds taken up each day by patients who were medically fit for discharge.

“Despite that storm of pressure in January, A&E and ambulance waiting times were improved on both the month and year before, and this year we will continue work to improve patient flow across hospitals throughout the year, to ensure that we’re in a better position for next winter.

“The public can play their part by continuing to only use 999 in a life-threatening emergency and 111 for other conditions, while ahead of the 10-Year Health Plan, we will continue delivering the shifts from hospital to community care and from analogue to digital, to continue to improve patient experience and bring down waiting times”.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “Through the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, the government has already cut NHS waiting lists by almost 160,000 since July, through a combination of investment and reform.

“As we work to end the misery of people left stranded on NHS waiting lists, we will also continue to address the issues facing our A&E departments.

“Annual winter pressures should not automatically lead to an annual winter crises and we will soon publish our plan to improve urgent and emergency care services, so the NHS can be there for everyone when they need it, once again”.

Source: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/02/waiting-list-falls-as-nhs-staff-treated-record-numbers-last-year/

Invites are being sent this week to people not yet vaccinated against RSV who are aged 75-79 or turned 80 after 1 September 2024, encouraging them to book an appointment with their GP.

RSV spreads all year round and affects the airways and lungs, and for older adults can lead to severe lung infections like pneumonia or other life-threatening conditions.

On 1 September, the NHS started vaccinating people against RSV for the first time in its history and staff across the country have been working hard since then to reach as many eligible people as possible – with nearly 1.5 million getting the vaccine, including more than 1.3 million aged 75-80.

The vaccine will reduce the risk of severe symptoms and only one dose is needed.

A study in the Lancet found the first season of vaccination could prevent up to 2,500 hospital admissions, 15,000 GP visits and 60,000 RSV illnesses in older adults.

Pregnant women are also eligible for the vaccine from 28 weeks onwards, as RSV is a leading cause of infant mortality, with nearly 150,000 women being vaccinated since September. Women can speak to their maternity service or GP practice.

The NHS has also delivered 18.4 million flu vaccinations this winter, and 9.8 million COVID-19 jabs.

Steve Russell, NHS National Director for Vaccinations and Screening, said: “RSV is not just a winter illness. We see cases increase in winter but it can occur all year round and can make older people seriously ill, so it is vital everyone eligible gets vaccinated – which is why are now working hard to reach anyone who hasn’t yet been jabbed and urging them to book an appointment.

“Vaccines for RSV, COVID-19 and flu protect you against different respiratory infections so it’s important you have each vaccine when you are offered them.

“I would encourage everyone we contact in the coming days, or anyone who has previously been invited but hasn’t yet taken up the offer, to get the RSV vaccine as soon as possible by contacting your GP. It could prevent you developing a severe illness like pneumonia and even save your life”.

Dr Conall Watson, Consultant Epidemiologist, UK Health Security Agency, said: “RSV can be severe in older people, causing serious lung infections like pneumonia and flare-ups of existing conditions. If you’re eligible, there is good evidence it will help give you protection – speak with your GP practice about getting the jab”.

More information on RSV symptoms and vaccination is available on the nhs.uk website.

Source: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/02/more-than-1-million-older-people-urged-to-get-respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-vaccine/

Published on January 30, NHS England’s planning guidance for the next financial year sees a significant streamlining of priorities and success measures – from 32 in 2024/25 down to 18 in 2025/26 – to focus on what matters most to patients and reduce waiting times.

The NHS has set out a new national ambition for 65% of patients to receive elective treatment within 18 weeks by March 2026, with every trust asked to deliver at least a 5% improvement on their performance this year. Based on current levels of demand, the guidance sets out how NHS services will aim to see nearly 450,000 more patients treated within 18 weeks next year.

With staff diagnosing and treating more people with cancer than ever before, NHS England has also confirmed new national ambitions to speed up diagnosis for patients.

Under the guidance, around 100,000 more people referred for urgent cancer checks will get a diagnosis or the all-clear within 4 weeks next year.

The plans also signal that improving access to mental health care for patients will be a key priority for the NHS next year, with all local systems expected to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard in 2025/26, so the share of NHS resources going to mental health increases in every part of the country.

The reduction in targets will empower local health leaders to improve care for their patients, helping deliver on the government’s commitment to rebuild the health service through its Plan for Change.

NHS England will give local systems greater spending flexibility to use funding to meet the needs of their patients, and the plans for reform will see local areas required to make tough decisions to meet the needs of their populations, including where this means reducing or stopping lower value activity.

While in the first 7 months of this year the acute sector improved productivity by over 2% – double the improvement rate pre-pandemic and the NHS is on track this year to surpass the £7 billion of efficiencies delivered in 2023/24 – all systems have been asked to make further progress, delivering a 4% overall improvement in productivity and reducing their cost base by at least 1%.

Setting out the plan, NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said the health service must have a “relentless focus” on driving efficiencies for the taxpayer, including reducing agency spend – with all local systems expected to deliver at least a 30% reduction in agency spending (based on current spending) next year, equivalent to around £650 million to invest in the frontline.

The work of NHS England, which leads the health service, will also reflect the streamlined priorities, and over the coming months programme resources will be reprioritised, and action will be taken to achieve £325 million in savings. This will include reducing the organisational structure by 15% to redirect resources to support the frontline over the coming year.

The additional reduction follows the recent merger with Health Education England and NHS Digital, making the organisation almost 35% smaller than its predecessors and generated nearly £500million of savings, which have been reinvested in patient care.

Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said: “Thanks to the incredible work of our staff, the NHS is providing more appointments, tests and treatment than ever before, helping to cut long waits – but we know there is much more to do.

“The NHS must go further and faster to improve and reform care, and the guidance aims to deliver more timely treatment for hundreds of thousands of patients. In what will undoubtedly be another tough financial year, the NHS will continue its relentless focus on boosting productivity and driving efficiencies for the benefit of patients and taxpayers.

“Our main focus will always be on supporting frontline teams to deliver what matters most to patients – so it is also right that we prioritise and streamline the work of NHS England to ensure we maximise frontline resources. Together with Government, we have also honed down national priorities, allowing local leaders maximum flexibility to plan better and more efficient services for their population.”

The guidance follows the publication of the government’s new Mandate for reform of the NHS, which sets out 5 core objectives for the health service to deliver, including cutting waiting times, improving access to primary care and improving urgent and emergency care.

In a written statement to Parliament, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting says he is giving local health leaders the tools to get on with the business of reforming the NHS, while emphasising the importance of the NHS living within its means.

Following a record Budget settlement for the NHS, the Secretary of State has set out that every penny of investment must come with reform and deliver better outcomes for patients.

Wes Streeting, Health and Social Care Secretary, said: “If everything is a priority, then nothing is. I want to empower NHS leaders to deliver the innovation and reform required to fix the NHS, rather than overload them with targets which have failed to deliver better outcomes for patients.

“This new approach will see the NHS focus on what matters most to patients – cutting waiting lists, getting seen promptly at A&E, and being able to get a GP appointment.

“We’ve provided significant extra investment and given clear directions to trusts on what we expect, so there is no excuse for failure. We will reward high performance and drive up standards as we deliver on our Plan for Change and build a health service fit for the future.”

The plans come amid record demand on NHS services this year – with worrying levels of flu and high bed occupancy in hospitals this winter – and significant challenges facing the health service in meeting the growing needs of an ageing population, as set out by the independent Darzi investigation.

Hard-working staff have delivered the new Faster Diagnosis Standard for cancer in November for the eighth month out of the last 10, and NHS England today confirmed that the performance standard would be increased so that 80% of patients receive a diagnosis or have cancer ruled out within 4 weeks by March 2026. This change will see around 100,000 patients more patients who are referred for cancer checks receive a diagnosis or the all-clear within 4 weeks next year.

As part of NHS and government plans to shift healthcare from analogue to digital, the health service has asked local areas and providers to make full use of digital tools to revolutionise access to care for patients, ensuring at least 70% of elective appointments are available to manage at the touch of a button on the NHS App this year – helping give patients more choice and control over their care.

The Planning Guidance and Mandate today set out the immediate priorities for the health service next year, while the NHS and government develop a new 10 Year Health Plan to build an NHS fit for the future, due to be published in the Summer.

As NHS staff continue to contend with record demand for care, NHS England has asked all local systems and providers to develop Neighbourhood Health Service models next year with an immediate focus on preventing long admissions to hospital and improving access to urgent and emergency care.

This drive will include scaling up local initiatives in the best performing areas to improve A&E and ambulance services, including increasing the proportion of patients seen, treated and discharged in one day or less, and implementing joint working arrangements to ensure no ambulance handover is longer than 45 minutes.

The guidance also sets out 3 national targets on mental health, including to reduce the average length of stay in adult acute mental health beds, increase the number of children and young people accessing services, and reduce the number of people with a learning disability or autistic people needing mental health inpatient care.

NHS England has also asked all local areas to have action plans in place by June 2025 to improve GP contract oversight, commissioning and transformation for general practice, while reducing variation – as well as to commission additional urgent dental appointments to ensure all local systems deliver their share of the government’s commitment to 700k more appointments.

Source: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/01/hundreds-of-thousands-of-patients-to-get-faster-access-to-nhs-care-as-targets-halved-under-new-guidance/

The Cardiology Team at Sunderland Royal Hospital talked the audience through treatment carried out on two patients. The service is part of South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust (STSFT).

With permission from the patients, the team filmed and showed delegates how they carried out advanced Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI).

These are coronary angioplasty procedures and are used to treat the narrowed coronary arteries of the heart, which can cause heart attacks and angina.

Some patients need more advanced techniques to treat very severe artery disease, requiring more specialist experience and equipment. STSFT is one of the centres that offer these procedures.

They were shown as part of the Advanced Cardiovascular Intervention (ACI) conference. This is the UK’s largest and most prestigious annual event for those who work in Interventional Cardiology.

The procedures took place in the two Catheterisation Laboratories – known as Cath Labs – at the hospital. Around 1,500 people watched at the event in London, while a further 1,000 followed it online. Delegates include nurses, cardiac physiologists and radiographers, as well as industry representatives.

Other procedures were live streamed by Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, as two centres are invited to take part in the ACI each year.

The effort by South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust was led by Consultant Interventional Cardiologist Dr Nick Jenkins.

He said: “This is the first time we’ve been invited to take part. It’s a real cause for celebration for the team and our Trust.

“This is significant national recognition of the high-quality service delivered at STSFT. It is a testament to the skills and commitment of the team.

“As well as the stream being shown to the conference, we also opened it up to our colleagues so they can see the work we do every day in our Cath Lab. They could follow it in real time, but can also watch it back when they are able to.

“We must thank the patients who agreed to have their experiences filmed for the conferences and the wider team and crew for all the work which went into making it possible.

“Sharing our knowledge and expertise is vital to help each other in our work. Every day we carry out procedures that save lives, but also improve people’s wellbeing and quality of life.

“We were proud to showcase what we do and hope others learned from it so they too can make a difference.”

After the event, President of the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society, David Hildick-Smith offered his praise to the team.

He said: “Thanks so much for hosting both cases. Great job from both labs. Professional, methodical, measured, careful.

“Super education. Really well done to your whole team!”

Sunderland Royal Hospital’s Cath Labs have been updated in recent years, giving the Cardiology Team access to the latest equipment, with the second room revamped last year thanks to a £1 million investment by the Trust.

South Tyneside District Hospital also has a Cath Lab, which is also used by its Radiology Department.

For more information about the work of the Trust’s Cardiology Team visit its page: Cardiology

Source: https://www.stsft.nhs.uk/news/latest-news/cardiology-team-live-stream-operations-across-world-showcase-specialist-skills

The Medicine Manufacturing Centre will produce large volumes of chemotherapy treatment, as well as other ‘ready to administer’ injectable medicines. It will also manufacture ‘pre-labelled’ medicines to help support local hospital teams as patients are discharged home.

The facility, based at Seaton Delaval, is expected to create and train people for around 150 new jobs in roles such as operators, warehouse staff, clean room supervisors and other highly skilled professionals.

Over the next 12 months jobs will be advertised via NHS Jobs as part of the region’s NHS plans to start operating from the new Medicines Manufacturing Centre in spring 2026.

To begin the recruitment process a Managing Director has been appointed to lead on the development of the ‘aseptic’ facility.

The appointment comes following the approval of plans and funding by NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. Local construction company Merit are currently designing and ‘fitting out’ the new facility off-site.

The new Managing Director of the Medicine Manufacturing Centre will be Marc Sutton.

Marc has over 25 years of experience working in medicines manufacturing in the NHS. For the last six years, Marc has been the Head of Radiopharmacy in the South East Wales region where he helped lead the provision of radiopharmaceutical medicines to Nuclear Medicine sites.

On his appointment, Marc said: “I am very proud and honoured to have been appointed. I am looking forward to working with the team to deliver an excellent cutting-edge service for our patients.”

The new facility has also recently appointed Production Manager, Neil Simpson, who has worked within the NHS for 25 years at Newcastle Specials which is based at the RVI and Freeman hospitals.

Deputy Head of Quality, Carly McGurty, has also joined the team alongside Marc and Neil as recruitment is well underway. Carly has worked within the pharmaceutical industry for several years.

More information about the Medicine Manufacturing Centre can be found at: https://nenc-providers.nhs.uk/

The guide is designed to provide helpful answers to frequently asked questions, offering valuable information for those seeking support.

The Let’s Talk team make sure that everyone has access to information and advice which supports their wellbeing. This includes online information and telephone advice supported by trained adult social care advisors.

The aim is to support people and connect them to the support available in their communities and networks.

Covering a range of topics, the guide includes benefits and money advice, mental health support, physical wellbeing, different types of care, community clubs and many more FAQs.

Along with answering your questions, the guide also provides contact details for people who can offer further support and assistance on any queries you may have.

Scan the QR code to discover more.

View the guide here: https://www.healthwatchsouthtyneside.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Lets-Talk-FAQs.pdf

If you require any further support or information that is not on this information sheet, please request support online at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/LetsTalk