New NHS centre to 'massively reduce waiting times'

The facility based at Leicester General Hospital is nearing completion and set to open from 9 December

A new £45m outpatient centre is due to open next month as part of an attempt to reduce NHS waiting lists.

The East Midlands NHS Planned Care Centre, based at the former Brandon Unit at Leicester General Hospital, is nearing completion and set to take its first patients from 9 December.

In August, figures showed 114,060 patients at Leicester's hospitals were waiting to begin treatment compared to 65,901 in 2019 - more than any other trust in the region.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust said it aimed to see up to 100,000 outpatients in the first year for non-urgent procedures including general surgery, gastroenterology and haematology and oncology.

Leicester's hospitals have the biggest backlog of NHS patients waiting to start treatment in the East Midlands.

However, the trust has made significant progress reducing those waiting the longest in recent years.

This year, 2,128 people are waiting a year or longer to begin treatment, a dramatic improvement from 18,422 people in August 2022.

The centre aims to see up to 100,000 outpatients for nine specialist areas

Now, the new outpatients facility aims to offer up to 100,000 outpatient consultations, day surgery and other procedures in nine specialist areas, which also includes ear, nose and throat, gynaecology, ophthalmology and urology.

Two operating theatres have already opened but the centre, which was planned under the previous government, will be fully operational next month with outpatient and procedure rooms, pre-operative and recovery areas, and the medical day case unit.

Simon Barton, deputy chief executive at the trust, said the hub would "massively reduce waiting times" for elective care patients.

He said the longest waits of 65 weeks would come down to less than a year, but the trust's "ambition" was to get back to the pre-pandemic target of 18 weeks and "to get there first".

Surgeon Hazel Busby-Earle said the unit would "significantly reduce the risk" of procedures being cancelled

Surgeon Hazel Busby-Earle, a clinical director overseeing the development, said the centre was ring-fenced, meaning it should not be disrupted by emergencies from the city's hospitals.

"A facility like this is going to significantly reduce the risk of a procedure being cancelled," she said.

"We are aiming to be leaders in healthcare and trusted in our communities."

Mr Barton added 280 staff would work at the facility and recruitment was ongoing.

"We have recruited about 75% and that is on top of our current workforce," he said.

The majority of outpatients treated would be from the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland area, but the unit is expected to help other hospital trusts in the East Midlands deal with treatment delays.

The site will also provide phlebotomy services and the new outpatient pharmacy is due to open early in 2025.