Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 16 March 2023 to Question 162205 on Health Services: Waiting Lists, what plans she has to ensure that waiting lists for (a) trauma and orthopaedic surgery, (b) rheumatology and (c) other elective treatment do not rise this winter.

Cutting waiting lists is one of the Prime Minister’s top priorities, and despite disruption from strikes, 18-month waits have been reduced by more than 90% from their peak in September 2021.

We recognise that industrial action and winter demands will mean that services are under increased pressure. The National Health Service is prioritising urgent and cancer care and will continue to do its best to maintain appointments and elective procedures wherever possible, including across trauma, orthopaedics and rheumatology. As part of this effort, in November 2023 the government and NHS England agreed to provide £800 million from a combination of reprioritised and new funding to mitigate the costs of industrial action and help patients get the care they need as quickly as possible this winter.

Additionally, we are transforming the way the NHS provides elective care by increasing activity through dedicated and protected surgical hubs. This is focused on providing high volume low complexity surgery in six high volume specialties: which includes trauma and orthopaedics (including spinal surgery), as well as other elective treatment areas such as ophthalmology, general surgery, gynaecology, Ear Nose and Throat and urology.

Diagnostics also forms an important part of elective care over winter. With only one in five patients on the waiting lists requiring a hospital admission – and most others waiting for scans or checks – we are continuing to expand our diagnostic capacity through the rollout of community diagnostic centres, which allow patients to receive tests close to home.