Consultant Connect has reported that its health technology has cut the neurology waiting list at Kettering General Hospital by more than half in fewer than two months.
With more than 230,000 patients on neurology waiting lists across England and an average wait time of 17 weeks, there is an increasing need for solutions that can reduce these numbers.
Telemedicine provider Consultant Connect reports that it has carried out a project that has reduced the neurology waiting list at Kettering General Hospital by over half, from 1,001 to 491 – which it says could act as a template for other NHS Trusts to safely cut down backlogs.
According to Consultant Connect, these patients were removed from the waiting list via a referral to an alternative pathway or returned to their GP with a treatment plan. Other patients were accepted for a routine appointment or fast-tracked if they needed an urgent appointment.
Consultant Connect reports that all 1,001 patients on the waiting list were successfully triaged in less than two months; 51% of patients who were triaged avoided an unnecessary referral; 2% were fast-tracked and given an urgent hospital appointment; and, 47% were accepted for routine appointments and directed to the right place first time.
Jonathan Patrick, CEO of Consultant Connect, stated: “The waiting lists crisis is the greatest emergency facing the NHS, and we’re happy that our tech is helping to make processes as efficient as possible. Kettering General Hospital is at the forefront of using healthcare technology to fight this crisis and making patients their priority.”
The project used the clinical expertise of NHS neurologists from across the country through Consultant Connect’s National Consultant Network.
Once Kettering General Hospital’s local clinical lead briefed them on the pathways available to them, they reviewed the waiting list remotely leading to hundreds of patients being returned to their GP with a management plan.
Deborah Needham, CEO of Kettering General Hospital, added: “This project has been a game-changer for us. It’s meant that 1,000 patients are now getting the treatment and care they need instead of dealing with the stress and uncertainty that comes with waiting for an appointment.
“The project has also reduced the pressure on our neurology specialists by making sure patients being referred to the department actually need to be there, while ensuring the most urgent patient cases are prioritised.
“We are keen to build on this project so it becomes part of normal business for us. We’ve seen the huge effect that Consultant Connect has had on reducing our waiting lists, and are keen for it to continue. Other Trusts should consider health tech like this to help address their waiting lists.”
The project has now been permanently rolled out at the hospital.
