Data released this month show that trusts continue to make hard-won progress against a backdrop of uncertainty, with ongoing changes to national NHS leadership and the task of a financial reset. In planned care, record numbers of diagnostic tests and cancer checks were delivered compared to any previous January. Across the ambulance service, handover delays improved for the second month running in February. Meanwhile, community providers continue to exceed targets to provide urgent care to people in their homes and help avoid hospital admission. Within mental health services, more children and young people (CYP) accessed mental health services in the last 12 months than ever before. This demonstrates how trusts are boosting activity across services to give patients timely treatment.
However, it is worrying to see sustained high levels of demand continuing to offset activity in some areas. For instance, an elevated number of cancer referrals meant that performance slipped back across all pathways this month, despite record activity levels for any in January. Meanwhile, the number of new pathways added to the planned care waiting list continues to outpace the level of activity delivered, despite it being 5% higher than before the pandemic. There has also been a marked increase in the number of referrals to mental health services and NHS talking therapies and growing numbers of patients waiting longer than a year for care in community services.
Despite the uncertainty, soaring demand, and winter pressures, trusts remain focused on improving patient care and cutting waiting times. Waits of 52 weeks or more for consultant-led care fell below 200,000 in January for the first time since 2020. Innovative services continue to support care, with calls to the NHS 111 access to mental health crisis care line nearly doubling since its introduction a year ago. Trusts continue to work hard to increase productivity right across the NHS.
It will be a tough year ahead for trust leaders. The 2024 staff survey showed there is a way to go in improving staff experience, while leaders warn the financial outlook is one of the toughest yet with a major NHS financial reset being required by the government.