Over 1m waiting-list surgeries completed in South West for the first time
Enhanced technology and systems have led to an increase in NHS productivity
Hospitals in the South West have exceeded a significant milestone by conducting over one million waiting-list surgeries in 2025, thanks to enhanced technology and systems within the NHS.
New data indicates that the number of elective surgeries carried out in 2025 marked a 16% increase from pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Hospitals have shifted focus from in-patient to day-case treatments, allowing more individuals to return home sooner without overnight stays.
This change resulted in nearly a 20% rise in day-case treatments in 2025 compared to 2019, totalling 927,676 cases.
The overall productivity for acute hospitals in the South West rose by 2.6% since April 2025, significantly exceeding the NHS historical average of 0.6% and surpassing the national improvement target of 2%.
Advancements have come from innovative software for theatre scheduling, remote patient monitoring, and the integration of surgical robots.
Dr Trevor Smith, Regional Medical Director for NHS England in the South West, praised the achievement saying: “It’s fantastic to break the million mark for treating people on waiting lists.”
He further remarked that efficiency gains aid faster treatment delivery to patients.
Making better use of operating theatres
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust has improved its operating theatre usage from 80% to over 85% by adopting flexible utilisation targets, resulting in more efficient patient treatment.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust utilises software to enhance operation scheduling, aligning waiting lists with staff rosters.
This approach enables advanced planning and maximizes operating theatre usage, creating potential capacity for 2,500 more surgical treatments annually.
Using robots to improve surgery
Robotics are being utilized by Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to conduct precision surgeries, improving patient outcomes and hospital bed availability by reducing recovery time.
A minimally invasive robotic therapy called Aquablation has allowed treatment of multiple patients in a single day.
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is employing robotic navigation for spinal surgeries at Musgrove Park Hospital, thereby increasing surgical precision and reducing risk.
Using AI to lift the admin burden on clinical staff
AI notetaking tools are freeing clinicians from administrative tasks, allowing them to concentrate on providing quality care and boosting patient satisfaction.
The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust piloted ‘ambient voice technology’ across thousands of consultations, anticipating its wide-scale deployment to offer increased patient appointments.
NHS England South West supports the technology's broader rollout to optimize benefits across various healthcare settings.