• NHS Improvement have published a report, developed with the Royal College of Surgeons which finds that up to 291,327 more operations could be carried out if NHS trusts considered a raft of new measures, many of which have been based on examples of innovation that exist already across the country.
• This includes encouraging hospitals to consider rolling out a model called '6-4-2' where clinically appropriate, which sees surgical staff agree their annual leave six weeks in advance, agree their surgical lists four weeks in advance, and double check their plans two weeks ahead.
• The report includes case studies from trusts that are already carrying out this work and seeing improvements.
  
  

Responding to Operating theatres: opportunities to reduce waiting lists by NHS Improvement, the head of policy at NHS Providers, Amber Jabbal said:

"This report rightly recognises that the NHS is one of the most productive health systems in the world for the number of surgical operations it carries out.

"These operations will only increase as our population becomes older and frailer. As a result of financial and workforce challenges the number of patients waiting longer than they should be for routine surgery is growing. Addressing this challenge goes beyond how operations are scheduled.

As a result of financial and workforce challenges the number of patients waiting longer than they should be for routine surgery is growing. Addressing this challenge goes beyond how operations are scheduled.

Amber Jabbal    Head of Policy and Strategic Projects

"Trusts would agree that there are opportunities for efficiencies to be made. However, theatres cannot be viewed in isolation and we have to be realistic about the current resources in place. Often cancellations and downtime for theatres are because of staffing levels, patient needs and the availability of beds across the system.

Trusts would agree that there are opportunities for efficiencies to be made. However, theatres cannot be viewed in isolation and we have to be realistic about the current resources in place.

Amber Jabbal    Head of Policy and Strategic Projects

"There will be differences in the way that individual trusts choose to run their theatres. This is based on the needs of their patients, staffing or the facilities they have available.

"The case studies within this report show that trusts are pioneering new ways of running theatres from the frontline. More can be done to share this learning if proper support is put in place to enable it."