The drug, fenfluramine, was funded for NHS patients in England from Thursday February 20, after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended it for seizures associated with Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS) in people aged 2 years and over.

It is the first non-cannabis based treatment approved for this form of epilepsy.

LGS is a rare, lifelong, and treatment-resistant form of epilepsy that causes frequent, unpredictable, and debilitating seizures. In severe cases, children may experience multiple seizures throughout the day, significantly impacting their quality of life. These seizures often lead to cognitive issues, difficulties with mobility, and an increased risk of injury due to sudden loss of muscle control.

Fenfluramine is an oral liquid medicine taken daily, with the dose tailored to each patient based on their weight. It works by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain, which helps to reduce seizure activity.

Professor Stephen Powis, National Medical Director for NHS England said: “For children and families living with Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, every day can be challenging, facing unpredictable and life-limiting seizures, and this new treatment option on the NHS will now offer new hope, giving many the chance for greater stability and a better quality of life.

“To have a proven, evidence-based new medicine that can be taken at home to help control and reduce their child’s seizures, and for example lower the risk of them experiencing injuries and needing to go to hospital, is fantastic news for hundreds of families.

“Fenfluramine will offer a vital alternative for those who can’t tolerate existing cannabis-based treatment and the fast-tracking of this treatment to be available from today is another example of the NHS’s commitment to ensuring access to the best therapies that deliver real benefits to patients as well as value for the taxpayer.”

Around 60,000 children in England are living with epilepsy and it is estimated that between 1 and 2% of those have Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

Previously, the only treatment recommended by NICE for LGS was cannabidiol (Epidyolex®) with clobazam, which was approved in 2019.

LGS is highly resistant to many anti-epileptic drugs, making seizure control extremely challenging — fenfluramine now provides a crucial new option for patients who have not responded to existing treatments or for people who cannot take clobazam, due to its side effects,  which can include excessive drowsiness, sedation, irritability, and dependence with long-term use.

Clinical trials have demonstrated that fenfluramine can reduce the frequency of drop seizures – which cause a loss of consciousness and muscle control – by 26.5% on average, more than three times the reduction seen in the placebo arm. More than a quarter (25.3%) of patients experienced a 50% or greater reduction in drop seizure frequency, compared to just 10.3% in the placebo group.

Clinical evidence suggests that fenfluramine not only reduces seizure frequency but also significantly reduces the risk of hospitalisation and needing emergency care.

Michael and Paul Atwal-Brice have 2 older boys with severe epilepsy. One – Levi – suffers from LGS. Michael said: “This is really positive news for families like ours. Levi suffers from extremely serious seizures, and having to use a cocktail of drugs to treat them has been really difficult. The side-effects have been impossible to manage as it’s hard to know which medication is causing them. Fenfluramine is potentially life-changing for Levi and our family.”

Lisa Suchet is a mum and carer of her 10-year-old son, who lives LGS. She said: “It’s wonderful news that NICE has approved Fenfluramine for patients with Lennox Gastaut syndrome.

“My son has suffered with seizures since he was 5 weeks of age, including drop seizures which are the most devastating. They occur without warning, cause immediate collapse and the risk of head injury is high due to the sudden fall. There are so few effective drugs for seizure control. Many don’t work for all patients; many have debilitating side effects or interactions with other meds a patient might have to take.

“That there is another option now available, which has shown effective results and minimal side effects is a huge comfort. It is essentially providing a chance of seizure freedom, which is essentially another chance at life really; for the patient and the family or carers who are impacted so significantly by this awful disease.”

Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, said: “The often distressing and life-limiting nature of this very difficult to control epilepsy means that any new treatment options are particularly welcome.

“In recommending fenfluramine the independent committee took into account the rarity and severity of Lennox Gastaut syndrome, the significant impact it has on the quality of life of people with the condition and their families and carers, and the high need for effective treatments, particularly for people who aren’t able to take cannabidiol with clobazam.”

NHS England is using its Innovative Medicines Fund to fast-track the treatment to eligible patients through an interim arrangement that will be three months faster.

This is the second indication that the NHS will offer the drug for, having commissioned fenfluramine for treating seizures caused by another rare form of epilepsy known as Dravet syndrome since 2022.

While Lennox–Gastaut syndrome most commonly develops between the ages of three and five years, today’s approval will provide access to all clinically eligible patients aged two years and over, including adult patients, with most children and young people with LGS continuing to have seizures into adult life.

Fenfluramine is manufactured by UCB Pharma, a Belgium-based pharmaceutical company and one of the UK’s largest life sciences investors.

Nadeem Aurangzeb, Head of Rare & Epilepsy, UCB UK & Ireland, said: “LGS is a rare and severe form of epilepsy which significantly impacts the quality of life of those living with it as well as those living with and caring for them. We are delighted that eligible patients in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are now able to access this treatment.”

This is the latest innovative treatment to be offered by the NHS. In January, the NHS announced a deal to offer curative sickle cell gene therapy, Casgevy®, which is being made in the UK, and follows a deal in December for the eye cancer drug tebantafusp, developed by the Oxford-based company Immunocore.

Source: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/02/nhs-rolls-out-life-changing-treatment-offering-new-hope-for-hundreds-of-children-with-severe-epilepsy/

 

This is a global programme which recognises nursing and midwifery excellence. It aims to create a positive work environment for nursing and midwifery staff, improving their job satisfaction and retention rates.

The Pathway programme focusses on transformational leadership, quality, safety, professional development and staff wellbeing. The programme also supports the shared governance through collective leadership model.

It is delivered by the American Nurses Credentialing Centre (ANCC).

The Trust has now become the eighth NHS Trust in England and the first in the North East to gain Pathway to Excellence designation.

It has also broken ground by being the biggest nursing and midwifery workforce to achieve designation so far.

It is the only Trust in England to include midwives and to involve all nurses and midwives from both hospital and community services.

Members of the West – South Tyneside Integrated Community Nursing Teams with their survey station.

The Trust started its preparation for designation in 2019, but then faced the global Covid-19 pandemic, but re-launched work on the programme in 2022.

Following news of the designation, the Trust has received congratulations from David Purdue, Regional Chief Nurse for NHS England in the North East and North Yorkshire, and Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England.

Melanie Johnson is Executive Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals.

She said: “We are delighted to have achieved this international accreditation.

“Achieving designation is testament to our incredible teams who have embraced the concept of collective leadership and the standards set out by the ANCC.

“This is reflected in the excellent standard of care they give to our patients, day in, day out.

“The accreditation highlights the positive environment of our organisation, as well as our commitment to the Trust’s vision to deliver ‘Excellence in all that we do.”

Sharon McDowell, Assistant Director of Nursing (Collective Leadership) led the Trust’s work on the submission.

She said: “The Pathway to Excellence® programme highlights best practice that can be shared far and wide.

“The programme also helps us to identify any improvements needed so we can continue to strive for the best experience possible for both our staff and patients.”

The ANCC sets out the Pathway as a commitment to creating a healthy work environment, where nurses and midwives feel empowered and have a voice in both policy and practice.

Successful accreditation is based on written evidence to meet the six pathway standards.

The Trust was then required to validate the evidence through a survey which looked at:

• professional development
• shared decision making
• leadership
• safety
• quality
• wellbeing

The accreditation looked for a response rate of 60%, with the Trust hitting a response rate of 75% and excelling in the number of positive responses received.

The ANCC congratulated STSFT on the achievement of their high scores in the validation survey.

For more information on the Pathway to Excellence programme visit https://www.nursingworld.org/pathway

Source: https://www.stsft.nhs.uk/news/latest-news/trust-celebrates-regional-first-it-receives-global-recognition-nurses-and-midwives

 

The NHS in England has launched its first-ever awareness campaign to highlight the benefits of screening and encourage more women to make the most of regular mammograms, as figures show more than four in ten (46.3%) invited for the first time don’t act on their invitation.

The campaign – supported by leading charity Breast Cancer Now – launches with a new advert across TV, radio and online to highlight that screening can detect any cancers as early as possible, while providing reassurance and relief to millions of women who get the all-clear.

New NHS estimates suggest that if screening attendance could be improved to 80% of those eligible next year (2025/26), nearly a million more women (around 925,000) could be screened, compared to 2022/23 – with over 7,500 additional breast cancers detected at an earlier stage, when they are more treatable.

The landmark NHS campaign sees celebrities including Newsnight anchor Victoria Derbyshire, broadcaster and presenter Julia Bradbury, and Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas write ‘unofficial’ invitation letters to women about their personal experiences of screening to reassure them and encourage them to attend. They are joined by cancer survivors, NHS staff and TV doctors in sharing letters in a number of moving films launched today.

In her open letter to women invited for screening, Victoria Derbyshire said: “I’ve had breast screening multiple times. For me it was painless and I was happy to be screened; my motivation was to make sure any irregularities were picked up – because the earlier breast cancer is detected, the greater the chance of survival. When I was diagnosed, I thought I wouldn’t get to see my two little boys grow up (then aged 8 and 11). I thought I wouldn’t get to grow old with my partner Mark. I’m still here thanks to the skill of the NHS – 2025 will be 10 years since I was diagnosed. Breast screening might just help save your life. Please go.”

The campaign comes as a new survey of 2,000 women for the NHS showed that almost 40% rarely or never talk about breast screening with their female friends and families, and almost a quarter (24%) of women said they wouldn’t attend if they didn’t already have symptoms like a lump.

More than a fifth (21%) also said that embarrassment at being topless in front of someone would prevent them from attending. Concerns about screening being painful (18.5%) also feature. However, 83.2% said they would attend breast screening if they were invited.

NHS national cancer director, Dame Cally Palmer, said: “Breast screening detects breast cancers earlier and saves lives – but we know for many women there can be lots of reasons why they might be reluctant to come forward, or why it’s not top of the priority list in their very busy lives. That’s why the NHS has today launched its first-ever campaign to support more women to make the most of breast screening and to address some of the misgivings and misconceptions they might have.

“We hope that by hearing other women’s stories, it will reassure them and remind them why screening is so important. Cancer survival is at an all-time high in England thanks to a real focus on early detection – and we want hundreds of thousands more women to access screening so that any breast cancers can be spotted as early as possible to help save more lives.”

Dr Louise Wilkinson, NHS national speciality advisor for breast screening said: “It’s incredibly important that women feel engaged with breast screening and understand why it matters. This campaign is about sharing experiences and understanding why some women might be reluctant to come forward, but we want to help them work through any reservations so we can encourage even more women to take up their invitation and ultimately save lives.”

Thanks to the hard work of NHS teams, the number of women attending breast screening has risen since 2020/21, with latest data for 2022/23 showing that 4.30 million women had been screened in the last three years (66.4% of those eligible).

Latest data on the proportion of the number of women who attend screening after being invited (uptake) shows around a third are still not attending, which increases to 46.3% of those invited for the first time.

When Liz Jadav from Kennington in London turned 50, she received an appointment letter for her first breast screening. After her appointment, she was asked to return for more tests. Although Liz had no symptoms and was otherwise fit and healthy, the results confirmed that she had breast cancer. She was thankful that the cancer had been caught at an early stage, and to be able to start discussing treatment straight away.

Liz had been about to start a job with the Royal Shakespeare Company, so her first question after diagnosis was, ‘How is this going to affect my work?’ Her employer was very supportive. Liz attended the first day of rehearsals, underwent surgery to remove the cancer on the second day, and was back with the company by the end of the week. Following the success of the surgery, Liz received radiotherapy; she will continue taking a daily pill for a few more years to reduce the risk of cancer returning, and attends yearly mammograms.

Liz said: “I think lots of women are worried about a cancer diagnosis and this puts them off from going to their screening appointment. But the mammogram isn’t cancer. The mammogram is knowledge. Without my mammogram I wouldn’t have known that I had breast cancer. I wouldn’t have been offered treatment. And lots of other things might not have happened. I’d say, when you’re invited for breast screening, make the time to go to your appointment. You’ll be glad you did.’

Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said: “Lives are saved when cancers are caught early, and we hope this first-of-its-kind campaign for the NHS will help encourage thousands more women to have more regular breast screening.

“If we can help more people access NHS screening, we have a real opportunity to detect thousands more breast cancers early and ultimately save more lives.

“Getting your screening sorted can help to provide reassurance if you are concerned, and attending your appointment could help save your life.”

Claire Rowney, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled at NHS England’s announcement today that they’re funding the first-ever breast screening awareness campaign to encourage more women to attend breast screening when invited – for too long thousands of women have missed out on the vital screening that saves lives from breast cancer.

“We know there are many reasons behind women not taking up their screening invite, and that uptake is lower amongst specific groups – including those living in more deprived areas and from certain minority ethnic communities – driving inequalities in early diagnosis and breast cancer survival. As such, NHS England’s plans to focus especially on reaching women who are less likely to get screened and often face additional barriers to attending, is so crucial to the success of this campaign.

“We look forward to working closely with NHS England to maximise the impact of this campaign and ensure screening is more accessible to everyone who is eligible.”

Jo Harby, director of health information at Cancer Research UK, said: “Every day, more than 150 people are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK. Thanks to the national breast screening programme, thousands of cancer cases are detected at an earlier stage when treatment is more likely to be successful. Improving access for people who want to attend screening is vital, and using digital tools, such as the NHS app, is one way to help with this.

“It’s your choice whether to attend breast screening, and that’s why it’s so important to read the information that comes with your invitation. Screening is for people without symptoms – if you notice any changes that aren’t normal for you, don’t wait for your next screening invite, talk to your doctor.”

Public Health Minister, Ashley Dalton, said: “As someone living with metastatic breast cancer, I know the importance of screening and early diagnosis. I urge all women to come forward for screening when they are contacted by the NHS – it could be life saving.

“Over the coming year, the investment and reforms this government is making will see an extra 100,000 patients are seen on time. We have also started using the latest AI technologies to help catch the disease earlier.

“We will publish a dedicated national cancer plan this year, to make Britain a world leader in saving lives, and to make the NHS fit for the future through our Plan for Change.”

Mary Kelly Foy, the Member of Parliament for the City of Durham in the North East of England, said: “I’m a breast cancer survivor. The reason why I’m here today is because I took up my breast cancer screening invitation at the start of 2024.

“It was caught early, which meant that by the summer of 2024 I was cancer free. Of course, it was heartbreaking to discover that I had breast cancer, but it’s important to remember that the vast majority of women who have a screening won’t have it.

“When you receive your invitation, please don’t put it off. It could just save your life.”

Last year alone, NHS breast screening services detected cancers in 18,942 women across England, which otherwise may not have been diagnosed or treated until a later stage, and the most comprehensive review to date found around 1,300 deaths are prevented each year by the breast screening programme.

Women registered with a GP are automatically invited for NHS breast screening for the first time between the ages of 50 and 53, then every three years until their 71st birthday – while women aged 71 and over can self-refer for screening.

While most women attending screening will receive peace of mind that they have no early signs of breast cancer, the NHS encouraged women to ensure they continue to check their breasts regularly between their screening appointments and to get any unusual changes checked out by their GP.

Breast screening does have some risks. Some women who have screening will be diagnosed and treated for slow-growing breast cancers that may never otherwise have been found or caused them harm. Mammograms also do not always find a cancer that is there, but most people feel the benefits of breast screening outweigh the possible risks.

As part of efforts to drive uptake of breast screening, the NHS is launching a new “ping and book” service, with women already starting to get alerts to their phones via the NHS App to remind them they are due or overdue an appointment, with new functionality being developed to enable millions to book screening directly through the NHS App next year.

The NHS is diagnosing more people than ever before with cancer at an early stage, and latest monthly figures show the NHS met the cancer faster diagnosis standard in November for the eighth month out of the last ten, with 77% of people getting the all clear or a cancer diagnosis within four weeks.

NHS England confirmed last month 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 more patients who are referred for cancer checks receive a diagnosis or the all-clear within 4 weeks next year.

Source: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2025/02/nhs-launches-first-ever-breast-screening-campaign-to-help-detect-thousands-of-cancers-earlier/

 

Charles Smith has taken part in a series of trials around age-related macular degeneration (AMD) during the last 15 years through Sunderland Eye Infirmary. He has also helped shape its service by offering his views.

He backed the Research Team at Sunderland and South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust as it joined in studies which look to improve the treatment of eye conditions. It is thought he is the longest serving patient of its ophthalmology studies.

The hospital has one of the largest Macular Degeneration services in the country, with 23,000 intravitreal injections carried out each year at its site or satellite clinic at Durham Treatment Centre (DTC).

It is also one of the most research-active Ophthalmology units in the country, with 18 active trials live at this time. It is the only location in the North East which is taking part in gene therapy in its specialist area.

Trials are advertised to patients at the hospital, while team members can also refer them if they feel appropriate so they can find out more. There is also a database of people who have asked to support the studies, so they can be contacted if one comes up and is looking into the condition they are being treated for.

Work is under way to build a new eye hospital in Sunderland city centre as part of the Riverside Sunderland development site. It is on land where the Vaux Brewery once stood.

To support its staff, patients and visitors, the Vision Appeal is raising funds to buy extras to support a better patient experience and additional equipment.

Charles, 88, who was born and raised in Roker, Sunderland, but now lives in Lanchester in County Durham, has wet age-related macular degeneration in his left eye and dry age-related macular degeneration in his right.

Wet AMD is caused by the abnormal growth of blood vessels in the part of the retina called the macula. People with wet AMD will often experience sudden changes in their vision.

Dry AMD is a gradual deterioration of the macula as the retinal cells die off and are not renewed. The term dry does not mean the person has dry eyes.

The conditions affect the middle part of a person’s vision and while it does not cause total blindness, it can make things like reading and recognising faces difficult.

Charles first signed up to one of the Trust’s first interventional trials called Merlot in 2010.

Over a two-year period, it looked at the effects of brachytherapy on patients. This is a form of radiation therapy and has been used alongside lucentis, a type of prescription injection, which treats certain eye conditions. These include wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Then in 2015, Charles was involved in a patient and public involvement campaign called Making Research Better. He helped review literature and gave feedback as part of a focus group.

His final way of supporting research was joining in a trial called Oaks, which looked at effects of dry AMD. This lasted two years.

In 2022, this study rolled into the Gale study, an extension of this work. It looked at the long terms effects of a drug called Pegcetacoplan.

This has now come to an end, which made his most recent visit to Sunderland Eye Infirmary his last one.

Alongside his wife Nancy, 81, the couple were presented with a Marks and Spencer hamper – including a bottle of Merlot in recognition of the first study he joined in.

​

Charles Smith with Sunderland Eye Infirmary Research Nurses Steve Dodds, Michelle Young and Karen Davidson, with Clinical Director Ajay Kotagiri second from left.

His check-ups will now take place at DTC, as this is nearer to their home.

During his working life, Charles was a district manager for Woolworths, while Nancy worked as a senior care assistant in a nursing home. They have three children, five grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.

Charles said: “I felt as though I owed something and wanted to be useful and it was a way to say thank you for what the hospital has done for me.

“In fact, it became a bit of a habit and I would come every so many weeks, and would always look forward to it and to meeting the staff.

“I’m a bit surprised by the gift, but it is very kind.”

Nancy said: “If Charles knows there’s a way to help, he feels he must. He really likes the staff, they have always been good, but we’ll still be going to the centre at Belmont every six weeks for his regular appointments.”

Steve Dodds is a research nurse at the hospital. He said: “Charles has always been very keen to get involved and we think he must be out longest serving research patient of ophthalmology.

“Our patient population is an aging one and that’s what our research is often looking to help, so to have someone as long term as he has been and to have him not involved in just one study but two, has been such a help.”

Head of Research Claire Livingstone added: “Charles has been the epitome of patient engagement and collaboration.

“We are delighted that he has agreed to share his experience.

“We will use Charles’ story as an example of how we are putting our patients and public at the heart of research.”

For more information visit its information page: Vision Appeal

Source: https://www.stsft.nhs.uk/news/latest-news/eye-hospitals-longest-serving-research-patient-thanked-his-dedication

 

 

The Prime Minister has welcomed new figures published by NHS England which reveal that between July and November last year, the NHS delivered almost 2.2 million more elective care appointments compared to the same period the previous year.

The new data confirms the government reached its two million target seven months earlier than promised – with 100,000 more treatments, tests, and scans for patients each week, and more than half a million extra diagnostic tests delivered.

It follows figures published last week which showed the waiting list has been cut by almost 160,000 since the government took office, compared to a rise of almost 33,000 over the same period the previous year.

It means thousands of patients have received vital operations, scans, treatments, and consultations earlier than planned, helping them get back on with their lives and back to work sooner.

The extra two million appointments – delivered in part by extra evening and weekend working – are underpinned by the government’s ambitious wider reform agenda, including our plan to expand opening hours at Community Diagnostic Centres across the country, 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

The government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future starts with tackling waiting lists, and hitting this milestone is a crucial step towards treating 92% of elective care patients within 18 weeks of referral by the end of this Parliament – delivering a core commitment in the Plan for Change.

While there is more to do, today’s milestone also clears the path to bring forward wider NHS reforms through the government’s Elective Reform Plan – announced by the Prime Minister last month – which will cut waiting times and improve patient experience by getting people seen more quickly, closer to home.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Two million extra NHS appointments and a waiting list on its way down – we’re delivering on our promise to fix the NHS and make sure people get the care they need, when they need it.

“This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about the cancer patients who for too long were left wondering when they’ll finally start getting their life-saving treatment. It’s about the millions of people who’ve put their lives and livelihoods on hold – waiting in pain and uncertainty as they wait for a diagnosis.

“We said we’d turn this around and that’s exactly what we’re doing – this milestone is a shot in the arm for our plan to get the NHS back on its feet and cut waiting times.

“But we’re not complacent and we know the job isn’t done. We’re determined to go further and faster to deliver more appointments, faster treatment, and a National Health Service that the British public deserve as part of our Plan for Change.”

Since entering office, the government has hit the ground running to fix the broken health service we inherited by tackling the waiting lists, and building an NHS fit for the future.

This includes ending NHS strikes so staff are on the front line instead of the picket line this winter, vaccinating more people against flu than this time last year and putting immediate investment into our health system through £1.8 billion to fund extra elective care appointments as part of record £26 billion extra NHS funding secured at the October Budget.

Building on this, the government has announced an extra £40 million funding pot for trusts who make the biggest improvements in cutting waiting lists. The funding will be available for hospitals from next year to spend on capital projects such as new equipment or repairs to their estate which can deliver faster access to treatment and improve conditions for patients.

Further details on the scope and allocation of the funding package will be set out in due course, but examples of the innovations that trusts will be able to benefit from include investment into new tech such as surgical robots and AI scanners to modernise the NHS and help patients get diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible.

The funding could also go towards completing hospital ward maintenance – expediting the transformation of ageing NHS estates and giving patients newer, safer environments in which to receive care.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “We have wasted no time in getting to work to cut NHS waiting times and end the agony of millions of patients suffering uncertainty and pain.

“Because we ended the strikes, invested in the NHS, and rolled out reformed ways of working, we are finally putting the NHS on the road to recovery.

“We promised change, and we’ve delivered, providing the two million extra appointments we pledged in just our first five months – a promise made, and a promise kept. The result is around 160,000 fewer patients on waiting lists today than in July.

“That was just the first step. Through our Plan for Change, we are opening new surgical hubs, Community Diagnostics Centres at evenings and weekends, and using private sector capacity to cut waiting times from 18 months to 18 weeks.”

Amanda Pritchard NHS chief executive said: “Thanks to the hard work of staff and embracing the latest innovations in care, we treated hundreds of thousands more patients last year and delivered a record number of tests and checks, with the waiting list falling for the fourth month in a row.

“There is much more to do to slash waiting times for patients, but the Elective Care Reform Plan will allow us to build on this incredible progress as we boost capacity and drive efficiency while also improving the experience of patients.”

The Elective Reform Plan will drive forward action to meet the 18-week target through the necessary reforms to overhaul the system, support staff, cut waste and put patients first – creating millions more appointments in the process. As part of this, the government is creating thousands more appointments through greater access to Community Diagnostic Centres and 17 new or expanded surgical hubs.

The Community Diagnostic Centres will be opened 12 hours a day, seven days a week wherever possible so that people can access a broader range of more appointments closer to home in their neighbourhoods. These will increase the availability of same-day tests and consultations so that patients don’t have to wait for weeks in between different stages of care.

The surgical hubs will be also created within existing hospitals by June and three others expanded, with more expected in coming years supported by the £1.5 billion investment confirmed at the Autumn budget.

These will bring together the necessary expertise, best practice, and tech under one roof to focus on delivering the most common, less complex procedures. The new hubs will be ring-fenced from winter pressures and will cut waiting times for standard surgeries, in turn freeing up beds in acute wards needed for more complex cases.

Other elements of the plan include freeing up around 1 million more appointments every year by removing non-essential follow-ups, publishing a new deal with the independent sector to increase capacity, revolutionising the NHS app to give patients greater choice and control over their treatment and preventing unnecessary referrals by incentivising GPs to work with hospital doctors to get specialist advice.

The government has also launched a nationwide consultation on the 10 Year Health Plan to build an NHS fit for the future and secured an extra £2 billion to upgrade NHS technology and £1 billion to deal with the massive NHS maintenance backlog.

As part of a drive towards prevention, NHS England have also launched its first-ever awareness campaign today to support more women to attend potentially lifesaving breast screening. The campaign, supported by leading charity Breast Cancer Now, launches today with a new advert across TV, on demand and radio to highlight the benefits of screening in detecting cancer at the earliest opportunity.

Last year alone, NHS breast screening services detected cancers in 18,942 women across England, which otherwise may not have been diagnosed or treated until a later stage, and the most comprehensive review to date found around 1,300 deaths are prevented each year by the breast screening programme.

This article is from an official Department of Health and Social Care press release. Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-two-million-extra-nhs-appointments-delivered-early-as-trusts-handed-40-million-to-go-further-and-faster

Letters arriving after appointments, not being kept updated about waiting times for treatment and chasing test results. Just some of the major issues being raised about poor NHS administration and patient communications in a new Healthwatch report.

Such problems can not only be frustrating, but they can also risk some patients not receiving the care or diagnosis they need on time, the report Lost in the System: the need for better admin in the NHS found.

Working with The King’s Fund and National Voices, Healthwatch has today published new research about people’s experiences of NHS admin processes.

The report shows that issues with admin are widespread and are worse for some people, including those with long-term health conditions and people who are struggling financially.

It warns that issues such as letters arriving after appointments, not being kept updated about waiting times for treatment and chasing test results can not only be frustrating, but they can also risk some patients not receiving the care or diagnosis they need on time.

Poor admin also affects staff working in the NHS who can bear the brunt of people’s frustration when patients have been given incorrect information, they do not know who to contact while waiting for care, or their test results have gone astray.

Highlights in our poll 

New public polling conducted by Ipsos for the report reveals the scale of poor NHS admin.

While half, 52%, of the public felt the NHS is good at communicating with patients about things like appointments and test results, a quarter, 25%, said it was poor, and those who had actually interacted with health services in the last year reported widespread issues.

Of those who had used the NHS in the last 12 months, either for themselves or someone they care for, nearly two in every three, 64%, said they had experienced at least one issue with NHS admin or poor communication.

The common issues experienced include:

• 32% of patients have had to chase results following test, scans or X-rays
• 32% of patients have not been kept updated on how long they have to wait for treatment or care
• 23% of patients don’t know who to contact while waiting for care
• 20% received an invitation to an appointment after the date of the appointment.

Of those who have experienced at least one admin issue in the previous 12 months, 42% said they are less likely to seek care in the future due to their experience, and 47% reported it made them think the quality of care the NHS provides is poor.

Impacts of poor admin  

Deeper analysis of the findings reveals that carers, patients with long-term health conditions, people from ethnic minority backgrounds and those struggling financially were all significantly more likely to experience issues with NHS admin and communication. The study found that 75% of patients with one or more long-term health condition had experienced an issue with NHS admin in the last year, compared to 57% of those with no long-term health conditions.

Patients and carers told researchers from The King’s Fund, National Voices and Healthwatch how poor admin has led to stress, anxiety and deteriorating mental health.

Many patients described being unable to cancel or reschedule appointments. One person described how they were automatically discharged from a service when they did not attend an appointment they had been unable to cancel. Another patient received a text confirming their appointment for the 99^th January. Researchers also heard from a patient who is deaf and described how they are still called on the phone despite asking to be communicated with via text or email.

Perception of waste in the NHS

As well as making some patients less likely to seek care in the future, the research shows that poor admin drives a perception of NHS waste. Of those who have experienced at least one problem over the last year with NHS Admin, 61% said that it made them think money was being wasted, 56% said their time was being wasted and 55% felt that NHS staff time was being wasted.

Healthwatch Chief Executive Louise Ansari said: “Admin issues within the NHS and their impacts on people have been in the shadows for too long. We’ve heard countless stories of people whose NHS letters arrived after the appointment day or were sent to the wrong address while some had their referrals lost in the system.

“Admin errors are frustrating and can have serious implications for patient safety. If people miss their tests or scans, they will face a longer wait for their care, putting their health at risk.

“Poor admin puts the onus on the patient or their families, who often have to sort out the problems that NHS systems have created, while at the same time struggling with the health condition they need treatment for. This places a particularly heavy burden on disabled people and those who have a sensory impairment.

“Moving to a system that gets admin right and invests in admin staff development would have the potential to transform people’s experience of care, ensure equal access, and stop people getting lost in a system which is in desperate need of an overhaul.”

Julia Cream, a policy fellow at The King’s Fund and co-author of the report said: “The number of people affected by poor admin is stark. Today’s results lay bare the day-to-day dysfunction of an NHS that is too often not meeting people’s needs and highlights the deep inequalities people experience when they are trying to access and engage with health services. Behind these numbers are stories of people who are worried about their health and struggling to get through the NHS’s front door.

“The government is trying to bring down waiting lists and improve access but these efforts will fail if the NHS cannot communicate effectively with people about when their appointment is or who they need to contact.

“Poor admin drives up perceptions of an NHS that wastes money and staff time and puts people off seeking care. Admin matters and it’s time that admin, and the staff that deliver it, are recognised for the value they bring.”

Jacob Lant, Chief Executive of National Voices, said: “Admin plays a crucial role in how patients experience health care, yet our research shows many people find themselves in an admin doom loop, trapped by no-reply emails and unable to access the person or answers they need. This goes beyond inconvenience, often risking people’s quality of care.

“The results of ineffective and inefficient admin are not felt equally across our society, and affect those already experiencing health inequalities more acutely. For people with multiple long-term conditions, the burden of managing admin is multiplied for each interaction with the system.

“NHS administration appears to be everyone’s job, but no one’s responsibility. The Government’s incoming 10 Year Health Plan provides a much-needed opportunity for NHS admin to be prioritised and for a commitment to be made to getting the basics right for everyone.”

How to fix poor admin – our recommendations 

Together with The King’s Fund and National Voices, we are calling on the government and the NHS to:

• improve patient communication and admin, with the health service required to regularly report on patient experience of admin processes
• prioritise admin in the upcoming government ten-year health plan expected later this year.

NHS leaders and policymakers should ensure there is adequate training and development for NHS admin staff and that patients are part of the design, delivery and testing of new admin approaches.

You can read the full findings and recommendations in the joint long read. 

Source: https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/news/2025-02-17/patients-put-seeking-care-due-dysfunctional-nhs-admin-warn-patient-groups-and