NHS South West delivers record one million waiting-list operations

The NHS in the South West has delivered more than one million waiting-list operations in a single year for the first time, with teams at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust playing a key role in reaching the milestone.

Across the region, tens of thousands more people have received treatment they had been waiting for. NHS leaders say this has been achieved through better use of operating theatres, an increase in day-case surgery and the introduction of new digital technology.

At Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, more patients have been treated as day cases over the past year, allowing them to return home sooner to recover while freeing up inpatient beds for others.

The Trust said theatre productivity had improved through a focused programme of work delivered with NHS England South West.

It has also invested in a dedicated in-house validation team to improve the accuracy of waiting lists, supported by new digital tools. The Trust said this means patients are contacted sooner, errors are reduced and fewer people fail to attend appointments.

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Further changes are under way for people waiting for outpatient appointments. Through the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) standardised clinic template programme, services including ear, nose and throat (ENT), gastroenterology and cardiology are offering more than 1,000 additional appointments this year.

The Trust said it had also learned from high-performing services elsewhere in the region and was working to match or exceed those improvements.

Reliance on external insourcing models has reduced, with more treatment delivered directly by local NHS teams. Clinical services have also carried out additional weekend work to help cut long waits.

Digital tools are being used to support patients before and after surgery. The My Recovery app provides information in the lead-up to and following procedures, with the aim of reducing unnecessary appointments and helping patients feel prepared.

Remote monitoring and digital pathways are also being expanded to support people at home. The Trust’s new electronic patient record system is due to go live this spring, which it says will help reduce administrative work and support the safe use of automation and artificial intelligence.

Across the South West, productivity has increased by 2.6% since April 2025, above the national improvement target, according to NHS England.

Joe Teape, chief executive of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I’m incredibly proud of what our teams have achieved. Behind every statistic is a person waiting for care, often living with pain, uncertainty or worry.

“This regional milestone reflects the skill, care and determination of colleagues here in Torbay and South Devon, who are constantly finding better ways to care for people.

“Whether it’s improving theatres, validating waiting lists, creating more outpatient appointments or supporting people through tools like My Recovery, their hard work is making a real and human difference. Thank you to every one of them.”

Dr Trevor Smith, regional medical director for NHS England South West, said: “It’s fantastic to break the million mark for treating people on waiting lists. Staff have been working really hard to get us back to where we were before Covid, while introducing new systems and technologies to make the most of our capacity.”

The milestone comes amid ongoing national debate about waiting-list figures and how NHS performance is measured, but health leaders in the South West say the latest data reflects tangible increases in treatment and capacity across the region.