New data shows NHS waiting lists in London have dropped by almost 40,000 since July 2024, with 20,000 fewer cases waiting longer than the 18-week standard for treatment.
As part of a wider NHS productivity drive, London GPs and community services are delivering extra appointments, while hospitals are offering more during evenings and weekends.
Dr. Agatha Nortley-Meshe, Head of Primary Care for the NHS in London, said: “Although demand for NHS services remains high, a reduction of 40,000 people waiting for treatment is a testament to the hard work of NHS staff across London.
“Additional appointments and initiatives like single point of access systems are significantly shrinking waiting lists and easing the strain on London’s hospitals and GP practices.”
The North Central London Community Single Point of Access (NCL Community SPoA) facilitates community health partnership working, providing timely and efficient patient care, while reducing treatment waiting lists.
By delivering coordinated care with local partners, NCL Community SPoA can provide London Ambulance Service (LAS) with immediate advice, and give their patients access to a range of services within just two hours.
Patrick Hunter, Clinical Quality Manager at London Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “Thanks to NCL Community SPoA, we can work efficiently with other community services, provide timely support for patients and reduce waiting lists by preserving hospital care and ambulances for the people who most need it.
“This partnership has resulted in tangible improvements to patient care. Through close collaboration and gradual improvements, we combined the skills and knowledge of multiple teams of experts, including ambulance staff, community teams, and hospital specialists.
“This has led to more effective clinical decision making and patients getting the right care first time.”
Services like NCL Community SPoA are driving the NHS shift from ‘acute to community care’ leading to prevention of hospital admission.
Dr. Alex Tsui, NCL Community SPoA lead, said: “The NCL Community Single Point of Access is an example of how we can progress community acute care with joined up effective urgent community response support, utilising senior medical oversight, focused investigations, and real-time dedicated decision making.”
NCL Community SPoA has also expanded to include Hammerson House Care Home, which offers end of life care, dementia nursing and respite as part of residents’ advanced care plans.
Dr. Lyann Gross, GP at Temple Fortune Medical Group and Assistant Medical Director at London Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “We, as GPs, are committed to providing care to Hammerson House residents according to their advanced care plans, and often manage hugely complex cases, as well as very unwell patients.
“The NCL Community SPoA team has provided us with expert advice and guidance in real time to help support both the doctors and the residents. We have found the Refer-a-Patient (RAP), the digital platform for managing referrals into the NCL Community SPoA, easy to use and the feedback and letters generated provide full transparency for ongoing clinical care.”
The new Urgent and emergency care plan, sets out how the NHS will work with the government to “resuscitate” emergency care, moving patient care into more appropriate care settings as part of the shift from hospital to community, while tackling ambulance handover delays and corridor care.
