This year, NENC Providers worked closely together to cut waiting times and reduce the number of people on waiting lists for planned care.
We started the year with a system-wide workshop in May 2024 to reflect on progress, set priorities, and relaunch the elective programme. It was a great chance to share ideas and plan for the year ahead.
Thanks to strong teamwork, our region had the best performance in England for the 18-week waiting time target - about 10% better than the national average - and we were among the top three areas for keeping waits under 52 weeks.
Together, we’re building a fairer, faster and more joined-up system for elective care.
Over the next 12 months, we’ll focus on reducing waits by using outpatient and theatre space better. We’ll boost GP use of Advice & Guidance, increase Patient Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU), and cut missed appointments. We’ll also work with Independent Sector providers to support patient choice and review how we use surgical hubs. These steps will help improve care and access even further across the region.
"This year has shown what’s possible when we work as one system. By sharing capacity and learning across Trusts, we’ve not only reduced waiting times but also improved the experience for thousands of patients. It’s a real testament to the power of collaboration."
We did this by focusing on three main areas:
In 2024/25, we continued to build on the strong foundations of collaboration and transparency across our system. The values of openness and mutual respect have helped us share best practice and support each other to improve care for patients.
- The Mutual Support Coordination Group, launched in November 2023 and chaired by a Foundation Trust Chief Operating Officer, meets weekly with representation from all providers. Its goal is to reduce the longest waits and make the best use of available capacity across the region.
- Since its launch, the group has supported over 2,000 patient discussions across 20 specialties, resulting in 846 patients moving to receive care sooner - a 159% increase on the previous year.
- Our region continues to lead the way in Referral to Treatment (RTT) performance, regularly ranking best in England and consistently among the top three systems for patients waiting less than 52 weeks.
- We are also learning from digital tools like the Federated Data Platform, which is helping us reduce variation in waiting times between Trusts and improve how we manage elective care across the system.
- Best ambulance response times in England across all categories - NEAS achieved an average response of 6m 41s for Category 1 incidents, outpacing the national average of 8m 19s and improving on last year’s performance across every category.
We’ve made strong progress in improving productivity across elective care, with a focus on theatres, outpatients, and system-wide collaboration.
- We supported eight elective Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) visits across the region and refreshed our GIRFT Coordination Group in September 2024. We’ve built a strong relationship with the national GIRFT team, including Professor Tim Briggs, to help drive improvement. Performance in High-Volume Low Complexity (HVLC) specialties has improved, including better theatre use and shorter stays for hip procedures. The Newcastle Day Treatment Centre has now been accredited as a surgical hub.
- Our Outpatients Transformation Group was relaunched in 2024 with a focus on Advice & Guidance, Patient Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU) and reducing missed appointments. Trusts have shared tools and learning, including virtual consultation platforms and clinic template improvements.
- We’ve also reviewed the rollout of the Patient Engagement Portal (PEP) and shared best practice in waiting list validation, placing NENC Providers in the top quartile nationally. Work to improve the interface between primary and secondary care is ongoing with support from the Primary Care Collaborative.
- A new Theatres and Peri-Operative Group was set up in late 2024, following a system-wide workshop. This group is working closely with the Mutual Support Coordination Group to make the best use of elective hub capacity.
- In early 2025, we held a successful Training and Education of Perioperative Teams (TEPOT) event. The
event brought together clinicians and managers to explore ways to improve pre-operative assessment, patient flow and workforce use. - Site visits to Hartlepool, Newcastle and Friarage surgical hubs showcased innovative approaches to reducing waiting times and improving surgical list efficiency.
We have continued to bring providers together across the system to improve patient pathways and access to care.
- In 2024, we supported the development of new Clinical Alliances in ENT and Gynaecology to help reduce waiting times and redesign care in these specialties.
- We’ve also worked closely with existing alliances in Musculoskeletal (MSK) and Eye Care, supporting proposals for a national back pain pathway and exploring a single point of access for eye care services.
- A new steering group has been set up to focus on recovery and reducing waits for Children and Young People’s services across the region.
- To support system-wide learning and collaboration, we held our first Elective and UEC Spring Conference in May 2025. Themed “Learning Together, Delivering Together,” the event brought colleagues together to reflect on progress, share good practice, and explore ways to improve patient experience and outcomes.
- We also worked with NHS Providers to deliver a national webinar and publish a case study on how collaboration in our region is helping reduce elective waits. Throughout the year, we’ve shared learning at regional events on topics such as spinal care, e-referrals, theatres and ENT.
In May 2025, healthcare leaders from across the North East and North Cumbria gathered at The Durham Centre for the first NENC Elective & UEC Spring Conference.
The event focused on sharing progress, strengthening partnerships, and shaping the future of Elective and Urgent & Emergency Care (UEC).
Key highlights:
- Sir Jim Mackey, NHS England Transitional CEO, opened the day with insights on regional performance and how we can continue improving patient outcomes.
- Professor Tim Briggs highlighted the power of collaboration and the GIRFT approach in driving clinical improvement and elective recovery.
- The afternoon spotlighted Urgent & Emergency Care, with case studies on ambulance handovers, front door redesign, and paediatric UEC standards.
- Dr Neil O’Brien shared strategies for winter preparedness and system resilience.
The conference was a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we work together—faster, fairer, and with patients at the heart of everything we do.
