Reduction in patients waiting for operations.
The number of people waiting for planned appointments and operations has significantly reduced, according to figures released today by Milton Keynes University Hospital.
By the end of March 2025, the number of people waiting more than 18 weeks for a planned appointment or operation fell by over 6,000 patients to 16,423. In 2024 it was 22,626.
In the same period, the number of people waiting more than 65 weeks fell from 1,006 patients to 44. Cancer waiting times for treatment also improved, with the number of patients waiting two or more months before getting treatment improving to 152 as at 31 March 2025 (2024: 170).
The improvements come despite another year of record referral numbers and winter pressures, and have been supported by innovative approaches including:
- The successful launch of two Community Diagnostic Centres, in central Milton Keynes and at Whitehouse Medical Centre.
- Partnership with Milton Keynes City Council and Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust to set up an Integrated Discharge Hub that improves the prompt discharge of inpatients who no longer need a hospital bed.
- Opening a Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) Unit which has been instrumental in managing Emergency Department demand by getting patients quickly to the most appropriate care.
“At the start of the financial year, we fully acknowledged that improvements were needed,” said Joe Harrison, Chief Executive of MKUH.
“We are making progress, thanks to the hard work of our team, effective partnership across the healthcare system and some really innovative ways of working. We remain committed to maintaining this momentum and further reducing the time patients wait for their care.”
