The NHS is under pressure, with around one in nine people in England waiting for elective care by the end of 2024 [3].

This month, the government published its NHS Elective Reform Plan [3], aiming to tackle record waiting times and meet the target of treating 92% of patients within 18 weeks of referral. Currently, most trusts take around 40 weeks [2].

The reform plan includes several key initiatives to reduce waiting times:

• Launching new surgical hubs
• Extending opening hours
• Increasing training for administrative staff
• Improving communication with patients on waiting lists
• Outsourcing appointments to private providers

Many of these measures require time and resources, and some might have a negative effect on staff wellbeing.

Here’s how AI can make a difference:

• Fewer missed appointments: Predict high-risk no-shows and fill slots faster
• Smarter scheduling: Align appointments with staff availability and resources
• Less admin work: Automate tasks so staff can focus on patients

The NHS performs approximately 3.8 million elective procedures annually [4], with over 7 million currently on the waiting list [1]. With the integration of SurgeryAI’s optimisation technology, the NHS could perform over 500,000 additional procedures each year. This would not only address the backlog but also provide a significant return on investment, potentially saving billions in the long term.

Sources:
[1] BMA NHS Backlog Data Analysis
[2] HSJ RTT Waiting Times
[3] Reforming Elective Care for Patients
[4] PMC Elective Surgery Analysis