Hospital waiting lists in Wolverhampton and Walsall fall by 14,194, the second biggest drop in 15 years

The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust was one of three in the West Midlands targeted with extra resources to news has been Wolverhampton sees waiting lists drop by 14,194 as England sees the second biggest drop in the waiting list in 15 years.

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The Dudley Group Foundation Trust and Sandwell and West Birmingham Trust were also part of the Faster Further 20 Scheme, which has seen waiting lists fall three times faster than the national average over the past 12 months.

Wolverhampton North East MP Sureena Brackenridge thanked staff at New Cross Hospital for their hard work in continuing to get waiting lists down.

She said the hospital had pllayed a major role in a successful government initiative that has resulted in a triple-fold reduction in waiting times, significantly outperforming the national average.

The Further Faster 20 programme targeted areas of the country, including Wolverhampton, with higher-than-average rates of conditions requiring surgery. 

These include musculoskeletal injuries, eye conditions, and diabetes related complications, which are more prevalent in industrial and post-industrial communities.

Mrs Brackenridge said that for years patients faced a substantial backlog for treatment. 

But by deploying small, specialist clinical teams into hospitals such as New Cross to share cutting-edge surgical techniques, technology, and best practice, the programme has helped patients in the three hospital trusts receive treatment three times faster than the national average, enabling people to return more quickly to pain-free, productive lives.

Mrs Brackenridge said: “NHS staff in Wolverhampton and Walsall have worked incredibly hard to shrink waiting lists. This shows that technology-driven change works. 

"Investment and modernisation deliver real results when backed by action. This is the change people voted for in Wolverhampton and Willenhall, and it’s now being delivered.”

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said waiting lists were now down by more than 312,000, and more patients were being treated within 18 weeks. "November saw the second biggest monthly drop in waiting lists in 15 years," he addded.

"That means faster care, less anxiety for families and people back on their feet and back to work. This is the result of record investment and modernisation, alongside the hard work of NHS staff.."

But Mr Streeting said winter pressures remained high, and there was still far more to do.

He added: "By combining investment, technology, and expert clinical support, hospitals like New Cross are reducing waiting times, improving patient outcomes, and helping local communities recover faster."

But Mrs Brackenridge also warned that winter pressures continued to persist as hospitals battle with flu, and urged anyone eligible to take up the flu vaccine to protect themselves and others.