New NHS Facility Aims to Significantly Cut Waiting Times

A new £45m outpatient centre is scheduled to commence operations next month in an effort to reduce NHS waiting lists. The East Midlands NHS Planned Care Centre, situated at the former Brandon Unit within Leicester General Hospital, is approaching its final stages of construction and is prepared to admit its initial patients from 9 December. Data from August indicated that 114,060 patients at Leicester’s hospitals had been awaiting the commencement of treatment, in contrast to 65,901 in 2019 – a higher number than any other trust in the region. University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust stated its objective was to treat up to 100,000 outpatients in the first year for elective interventions such as general surgery, gastroenterology, and haematology and oncology. Leicester’s hospitals are experiencing the most substantial accumulation of NHS patients waiting to start treatment in the East Midlands. However, the trust has achieved considerable advancements in diminishing the number of individuals facing the longest waits in recent years. This year, 2,128 people are currently awaiting treatment for a year or longer, representing a substantial reduction from 18,422 people in August 2022. Now, the new outpatients facility is designed to provide up to 100,000 outpatient consultations, day surgery, and other procedures across nine specialist areas, encompassing disciplines such as ear, nose and throat, gynaecology, ophthalmology, and urology. Two operating theatres are already operational, but the centre, which was planned under the previous government, is slated to become completely functional next month with outpatient and procedure rooms, pre-operative and recovery areas, and the medical day case unit. Simon Barton, deputy chief executive at the trust, stated that the facility is expected to “massively reduce waiting times” for elective care patients. He indicated that the longest waits of 65 weeks are projected to decrease to less than a year, but the trust’s “ambition” was to revert to the pre-pandemic target of 18 weeks and “to get there first”. Surgeon Hazel Busby-Earle, a clinical director overseeing the development, explained that the centre’s ring-fenced status implies it will remain unaffected by emergencies from the city’s hospitals. “A facility like this is going to significantly reduce the risk of a procedure being cancelled,” she said. “We are aiming to be leaders in healthcare and trusted in our communities.” Mr Barton further mentioned that 280 staff are anticipated to be employed at the facility and recruitment was ongoing. “We have recruited about 75% and that is on top of our current workforce,” he said. Most patients receiving care are projected to originate from the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland area, but the unit is also anticipated to assist other hospital trusts in the East Midlands deal with treatment delays. The site is also set to offer phlebotomy services, and the new outpatient pharmacy is scheduled to commence operations early in 2025.