GPs will be asked to refer patients directly for scans and treatments in a bid to speed up care and halve NHS waiting lists, MailOnline can reveal.
Under major reforms to be unveiled on Monday, hospitals will also be ordered to provide tests, interpret results and potentially start patients’ therapy on the same day.
Bosses hope streamlining the process and removing the need to see a consultant for some conditions will help meet waiting time targets and increase patient satisfaction.
The NHS app will receive a major update so users can book diagnostic checks and consultations at a time that suits them, and the experience will feel more like booking a table in a restaurant.
Patients will also have a greater choice of times and locations, with plans to open more community diagnostic centers in easily accessible locations.
The more flexible booking service aims to reduce “no shows”, when people don’t show up because they didn’t like the time slot they were allocated.
Meanwhile, receptionists and waiting list managers will be forced to undergo mandatory “customer service training” so they can respond to queries in a more polite and helpful manner.
Patients will also be offered help losing weight or quitting smoking while they wait for treatment, as non-smokers and those with a healthy weight are more likely to recover successfully.
Sir Keir Starmer will announce the NHS Elective Reform Plan alongside Health Secretary Wes Streeting, pictured, and Amanda Prichard, Chief Executive of NHS England.
The NHS app will receive a major update so users can book diagnostic checks and consultations at a time that suits them, with an experience that will be more like booking a table in a restaurant.
Sir Keir Starmer will announce the elective NHS reform plan alongside health secretary Wes Streeting and Amanda Prichard, chief executive of NHS England.
The Prime Minister will commit to diagnosing and treating 92 per cent of patients within 18 weeks of receiving a GP referral by the end of this parliament, a target that has not been met for almost a decade .
There were an estimated 6.34 million people on NHS waiting lists for 7.54 million treatments at the end of October, latest figures show.
Four out of five patients leave the list after a diagnostic test or outpatient appointment, so the list could be drastically reduced by speeding up the diagnostic process.
As a result, millions of patients will gain peace of mind or a clear treatment path weeks sooner.
GPs will be able to refer patients for tests, checks and scans without the need to first consult a specialist for a limited range of conditions, including hearing loss and tinnitus, urological conditions, inflammatory and non-inflammatory bowel problems, shortness of breath , asthma in children and young people and postmenopausal bleeding.
With some conditions, which have not yet been confirmed, hospitals will perform tests and scans, interpret the results and offer follow-up consultations on the same day.
They will also be given a date at the time to begin their treatment, if it cannot occur at that time.
Ms Pritchard said: “While there are too many people waiting for an unacceptable amount of time for care, NHS staff have made great strides in reducing long waits since the pandemic.
‘And with the backing of Government investment, along with our commitment to continue to reform and innovate, we know staff can once again significantly reduce waiting times across the country.
‘With one in nine people in England on the waiting list, we know we can do more to support those waiting for crucial tests and procedures.
‘By making it easier for people to get timely access to the tests they need along with direct referrals and same-day checks and consultations, this scheme will help thousands more people get faster diagnosis and treatment or everything is fine.
“This means they can get back to living their lives as soon as possible, with the peace of mind that they will not need further treatment.”
Streeting said: “As patients, we have all experienced the hurdles that have to be overcome to get the test or scan that you and your GP know you need.”
“It wastes patients’ time, delays diagnoses when every minute counts and means consultants are forced to tick boxes rather than treat patients.”
‘The reforms we will announce next week will speed up diagnoses and free up NHS staff to treat more patients.
“Our turnaround plan will reduce waiting lists from a maximum of 18 months to 18 weeks at the end of this Parliament.”
Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients’ Association, said: “We welcome these ambitious reforms to speed up the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
“We look forward to working with NHS England to deliver these vital improvements in both access to care and patients’ ability to make informed decisions about their treatment.”
Louise Ansari, chief executive of Healthwatch England, said: “We welcome this new scheme’s focus on better waiting experiences, and not just waiting times.”
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “This marks a serious attempt to reduce waiting lists in a more sustainable way.”
Too many people are still waiting too long to receive the care they need… this is going to change
by Amanda Pritchard, CEO of National Health Service England
The NHS Elective Reform Plan will be announced by Sir Keir Starmer alongside health secretary Wes Streeting and Amanda Prichard, chief executive of NHS England, pictured.
For 76 years, the NHS has served the nation from cradle to grave.
Whether carrying out diagnostic tests or supporting those who need treatment for major health problems, the health service has constantly adapted to changing needs, harnessing the latest science to provide new and better treatments.
But the pace of change simply has not been able to keep pace with the growth in demand for care.
Before the pandemic, waiting lists were increasing due to the challenges set out in Lord Darzi’s important report: a combination of fewer staff, capital shortages and high bed occupancy.
The pandemic inevitably took its toll on NHS waiting lists, as well as systems around the world.
But thanks to the hard work of NHS staff – and despite unprecedented levels of strike action – significant progress has been made in tackling long waits, with waiting times of more than a year almost halved.
Despite this, too many people continue to wait too long to receive the care they need; Simply put, the latest data on 18-week wait numbers shows we now have more than three million reasons to radically reform NHS elective care.
That’s why our next Elective Reform Plan will put patients at the center to achieve comprehensive change in three key areas: better wait times, more convenient access to care and a better patient experience.
Not only will we continue to do more tests, appointments and operations than ever before, we also need to do things differently, and this plan sets out landmark reforms to improve care for millions of people.
GPs will be able to directly book patients for testing for a range of conditions, such as shortness of breath and postmenopausal bleeding, without the need to first consult a consultant.
We will optimize our services to help prevent patients from being dragged from “pillar to pillar” to receive the care they need.
For example, rather than having to attend a series of appointments, the NHS will offer a same-day service so thousands more patients can have their follow-up consultation on the same day as their diagnostic test.
To ensure that more patients can undergo operations and get the most benefit, we will support them to be as prepared as possible, including to lose weight or stop smoking, as we know that stopping smoking four weeks before an operation can reduce substantially the risk of complications. .
All acute care hospitals will identify Patient Experience Champions to ensure those on waiting lists are fully informed and supported, and to get the best NHS service.
It has been almost a decade since the NHS last met the constitutional standard of treating 92% of patients within 18 weeks, and important changes for patients cannot wait.
Through this plan, we are determined to not only significantly reduce waiting times once again, but to transform the way people experience care.
Backed by Government investment and driven by relentless staff commitment, these NHS reforms will help ensure millions of people can receive faster diagnosis and treatment and get back to living their lives as soon as possible.