How we are reducing waiting times

We are doing all we can to see more patients each day and reduce waiting times.

Here is some of the latest news about our work to recover waiting lists:

• New 'Fast Pass' appointment system unveiled at Royal Devon
• New unit at Nightingale Hospital Exeter helping drive down waiting lists in Devon
• Work begins on new endoscopy suite at Tiverton and District Hospital
• New Cardiac Day Case Unit open and already delivering quality care for patients
• New ultrasound machines allow for more patients to be seen at NHS Nightingale Hospital Exeter
• South Molton Eye Centre marks first six months of treating patients
• Exeter's Nightingale Hospital reaches another major milestone as SWAOC begins offering spinal surgery
• Nightingale Hospital Exeter sees major milestone reached with cataract operations
• Successful glaucoma clinic pilot will mean patients are seen quicker

What we’re doing to support you:

• Recruiting additional staff

• Creating additional spaces for care

• South West Orthopaedic Ambulatory Centre (SWAOC) at the NHS Nightingale Hospital Exeter has increased capacity for hip and knee replacement surgery and is being held up as a national exemplar for hip and knee replacements

• Cataract surgery at Centre of Excellence for Eyes (CEE) at the Nightingale has helped reduce waiting lists by 90%

• Using community hospitals to provide additional capacity. For example we provide cataract surgery at Axminster, South Molton Eye Hub opened in May 2023 to provide state-of-the-art services for medical retina and glaucoma patients, and we have developed a urology investigation unit at Ottery St Mary Hospital which provides extra outpatient capacity, and a procedure room for some urological diagnostic and surgical treatment.

• Transforming the way we deliver care

• Patient initiated follow ups (PIFU) to help people manage their long-term conditions.

• Running clinics differently, by holding things like evening clinics, super Saturdays, one-stop-shops and virtual appointments to see more patients and reduce waiting lists.

• Accessing capacity beyond our Trust:
  • NHS patients who meet certain criteria are being offered available Independent Sector capacity across the region (Exeter, Torbay, Plymouth), which may mean they can have their treatment sooner.
  • We are also working across Devon and nationally to explore where there are shorter waiting times for certain specialities and we may be able to offer transfer to patients