In the past ten years, NHS waiting lists have jumped by nearly 300%. From 2.5 million in 2013, there are now roughly 7.2 million people waiting for hospital treatment in England.[1] More than that, the number of those waiting 18 weeks or more has mushroomed as the COVID-19 pandemic and regional inequalities exacerbate existing backlogs. To move forward in cutting down these backlogs, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to make the reduction waiting lists one of the five fundamental tenets of his government’s policy.[2]

There’s little doubt around the importance of tackling waiting lists. The question now is how this aim can be achieved. Naturally, there is no single solution to backlogs, and their reduction will come only through a complex and versatile approach; yet one core element of this approach must be reinforcement. Through partnership with community healthcare providers, such as eyecare provider CHEC, the NHS can begin to get ahead of waiting lists through the support of localised, quality services. With ophthalmology accounting for the country’s second highest level of backlogs, such community eyecare providers play a vital part in delivering ongoing services and working to treat the 628,500 currently waiting for eye care.    

A helping hand

Community healthcare providers work in tandem with the NHS to ensure that backlogs don’t preclude patients from receiving prompt and comprehensive care. Partnered with the NHS, these localised health providers receive referrals from the health service and can thereby deliver targeted treatment to the individuals most in need while simultaneously tackling the broader backlog issue. Crucially, all of this is free of charge to the patient, meaning that anyone can access provisions regardless of their resources.

In particular, community healthcare provides a buttress for the NHS in treatments where waiting lists are high. As it stands, recent reports show that hundreds of patients have been left with permanent eye damage as a result of delays in eye care treatment.[3] Independent health care providers such as CHEC now carry out 38.6% of eye surgeries, up from 23.3% before the pandemic.[4] Moreover, independent providers have the capacity to respond to growing backlogs in other specialisms by diversifying their offerings. In 2022, for example, CHEC announced the launch of its endoscopy services to mitigate the decline in endoscopy procedures, which had taken place since 2020.

Addressing regional inequalities

A key benefit of community healthcare providers is their localised nature, making them ideal for tackling the regional disparities prevalent in the UK’s health service. This inequality, a significant aggravator for national backlogs, is evident from the fact that, while only 17% of patients in Northumbria have been waiting over 18 weeks to start treatment, that number is 60% in Birmingham, 20% above the UK’s average.[5]

Not only does CHEC provide eyecare treatment – a specialism which suffers from the second longest waiting list in the UK – but the eyecare provider also aims to direct provisions at those regions most troubled by backlogs. Last year, the organisation opened up a centre in Gateshead in reaction to the severe eyecare waiting lists seen in that area and in the nearby Newcastle, which at the time amounted to 14,000. While a nationwide acceleration of healthcare services would undoubtedly help towards reducing backlogs, it is the targeted distribution of key treatments that will be vital if Britain is to fully overcome our long waiting lists.

What CHEC has to offer

With NHS waiting lists growing rapidly, it’s easy to forget that these statistics are more than just numbers; yet recent reports of the sight loss caused by eyecare backlogs makes it abundantly clear that medical delays translate to very real impacts on individuals. With waiting times ranging from 1-4 weeks CHEC offers support for the NHS in reducing not only these quantitative backlogs, but also the effect they have on the quality of people’s lives.

CHEC, and other local healthcare providers like it, have the resources and capacity to provide reliable, quality healthcare when and where the NHS needs it most. Indeed, the quality of CHEC’s offering was put in the spotlight recently when the organisation’s centre in Stoke received an “outstanding” rating from the Care Quality Commission. By providing such care, community healthcare providers offer a vital component to the complex task of solving Britain’s healthcare crisis.

Read the article here. 

• [1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-60305502
• [2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-64166417
• [3] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/21/hundreds-left-with-lost-or-damaged-eyesight-after-nhs-delays-research
• [4] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/may/22/patients-england-nhs-app-book-private-hospitals-backlog-waiting-lists
• [5] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63905269

CHEC is delighted to announce the opening of two new sites in Stockport and Sheffield, which will bolster CHEC’s growing Northern presence.

Both centres are scheduled to open in mid-2023, with Stockport in June and Sheffield in July, further expanding CHEC’s presence in the North, complementing its existing sites in Stoke, Blackpool, Preston, and Accrington.

Both centres will offer ophthalmology and endoscopy services, addressing the significant backlogs in these specialities. Over 620,000 patients are currently waiting for NHS ophthalmology treatment and waiting lists in regions such as Manchester and Sheffield range from 33-50 weeks and 24-41 weeks respectively, as a result of the pandemic.

With the NHS recommending a referral to treatment waiting time of no longer than 18 weeks, timely access to services is crucial to prevent permanent damage and delayed diagnoses, highlighting the need for additional resources. With an average waiting time of 1-4 weeks, CHEC aims to relieve the pressure on the NHS and make general ophthalmology and community endoscopy services more readily available and accessible for patients.

Jose Bailey, Commercial Director, commented, “CHEC’s expansion, combined with prestigious clinical excellence recognition this year is a testament to the ongoing work we are doing to support the NHS and patients across the UK.

“We are thrilled to announce the opening of brand-new sites in the North this summer, expanding patient choice, reducing waiting times and offering an alternative solution for patients to access community-based services in new areas across the country.”

In anticipation of the launch of the Stockport site, CHEC Stockport will be hosting a virtual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) event on 17th May for healthcare professionals seeking to earn CPD points, and registration can be accessed here.

Q: What are the current pressing issues that you are seeing in the healthcare sector?

A: The ongoing NHS crisis has seen waiting lists reach a record high of 7.2 million, with waiting lists unlikely to fall until summer 2024. The NHS has reached its breaking point due to a combination of factors, including limited funding and resources, staff shortages, compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, an increased demand for healthcare services and strike action.

Due to the multitude of pressures, there is no simple solution to strengthen the NHS. The Government’s additional £3.3 billion commitment as part of last year’s Autumn Budget has been welcomed, yet more must be done to rebuild the NHS.

Community health services like CHEC help support local patients with tailored, specialist care. Using a shared care partnership model, CHEC assists the NHS, treating patients to cut waiting lists and increase the capacity of NHS staff through longer-term condition management such as glaucoma, as well as surgical interventions. This helps make high-quality, efficient healthcare more accessible for patients.

Q: How has CHEC integrated technology to improve patient outcomes?

During the pandemic, downloads of healthcare apps on mobile devices increased by 25%, with 54,546 apps available on the Google Play Store by the end of 2022. Throughout the pandemic, the sector saw rapid digitalisation to improve accessibility of services, particularly for people living in rural or remote areas. Notably, 31% of adults found it difficult to access care due to concerns over catching Covid-19, demonstrating the importance of increasing the availability of health services.

We launched our bespoke Patient Booking App at the start of 2022, which was the first patient booking app to be used by a community health service. The app allows patients the flexibility to book appointments at their convenience, with the app giving a range of flexible options. The app has been used to book over 385,000 appointments by more than half of CHEC’s patients since its launch and has helped to reduce last-minute cancellations.

Our Patient Booking App makes the appointment process more convenient for both patients, allowing appointments to be booked anytime, anywhere, and reducing the need for time-consuming phone calls. This also streamlines the administrative process for CHEC, increasing efficiencies and further enhancing patient choice.

Q: What do you think the future of ophthalmology will be like?

The shift to digital not only makes healthcare more accessible and efficient, but can improve research, innovation, and treatment in the sector. The use of robotic arms such as the da Vinci Surgical System appear to be the future of ophthalmology, improving precision and reducing human error during eye surgery.

Furthermore, the growing use of AI will see machine learning integrated into many internal processes. AI can help analyse medical images and records to determine potential health risks or abnormalities in patients, such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration, enabling doctors to identify issues as early as possible. AI can also triage patients and prioritise care based on the urgency of their condition.

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CHEC has been recognised by the Tomorrow’s Care Awards 2023 for its bespoke Patient Booking App, coming third out of 20 finalists.

The award is in its seventh year and is given to organisations to celebrate the most innovative and adaptable tools in the healthcare sector.

CHEC’s Patient Booking App, which was launched in January 2022, is the first of its kind to be used by community health services. This has allowed patients to access a range of options for booking appointments, making the process swift, convenient, and equitable. By offering patients the flexibility to book appointments, the app has further minimised late cancellations and, importantly, prevents patients from missing appointments.

Jose Bailey, Commercial Director at CHEC, commented, “We are delighted to be recognised by the Tomorrow’s Care Awards, proving our commitment to offering our patients the best possible care and adopting the use of technological advances and innovations as pioneering methods to improve the patient journey. Our innovations are continuing to be developed in the hope we continue reaching as many patients as possible and gain further recognition for the work we do with our local communities.”

The app has been used to book over 385,000 appointments since its’ launch and is currently being accessed by more than half of CHEC’s patients, affording patients with greater options to suit their individual circumstances than traditional methods.

CHEC’s win follows its Stoke centre CQC rating of ‘Outstanding’, and two new centre openings in Worcester and Stevenage this year, demonstrating CHEC’s commitment to increasing capacity and optimising patient experiences through the advantageous use of technology.

CHEC is delighted to announce the opening of a new treatment centre in Stevenage.

Scheduled to open in April 2023, CHEC Stevenage will offer accessible, prompt, and convenient ophthalmology and endoscopy treatment for patients throughout Hertfordshire. The new site will not only increase the availability of healthcare services locally but also offer high-quality, personalised, specialist care.

With both ophthalmology and endoscopy facing record-breaking waiting times, CHEC’s latest hospital will provide an essential solution to the current NHS backlog, allowing patients to rapidly access the care they need locally and easing pressure on the NHS.

Jose Bailey, Commercial Director at CHEC was elated to confirm the opening of CHEC Stevenage, and said, “Community-based, accessible services epitomise the vital importance of local alternative patient choice services, and are crucial in easing the backlog in both outpatient and elective arenas. We are thrilled to bring our services to another locale where we can make a real difference.”

The opening of CHEC’s Stevenage centre follows the recent launch of CHEC Worcester, marking the second opening of 2023.

CHEC’s services have been consistently recognised for their safety, effectiveness, quality of care, and patient-centric focus, with its Stoke hospital recently receiving an “Outstanding” rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

CHEC has announced that it is now a part of the Independent Healthcare Provider Network (IHPN) sector-wide commitment to reach net zero by 2035. This participation is the latest step in CHEC’s broader strategy to ensure environmentally-positive practices across their centres.

The IHPN invites its members to support a pan-industry commitment to reaching net zero by 2035. The group contributes to this sector-wide goal by bringing together its members in a Climate Change group to share knowledge and best practice on how to reduce emissions across their healthcare services. The group also provides research and reports into industry progress across climate action and delivers guidance on how to move forward towards net zero.

Jon Dore, Chief Operating Officer at CHEC, said: “While the healthcare industry is facing a number of internal challenges at the moment, this shouldn’t mean we overlook our role in the climate change emergency. The welfare of individuals is underpinned by high-quality healthcare, yes, but it is also intrinsically connected to our environment and the health of the world in which we live.”

The target set out by the IHPN to achieve net zero by 2035 builds on the NHS’s own commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2040. So far, over 40 IHPN members have signed up to the pledge – a number which continues to grow with CHEC’s participation.

CHEC has announced that its centre in Stoke has been awarded an “Outstanding” rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A classification of “Outstanding” is the highest rating given out by the CQC, and reflects the exceptional performance of the Stoke hub across five main areas: safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness, and leadership.

Based in the heart of Stoke, the centre provides accessible eyecare for local people, supporting the ophthalmology services delivered by the NHS. With 7.2 million people across the UK currently on NHS waiting lists awaiting consultant-led elective care, community eyecare providers such as CHEC act as a much-needed reinforcement to ensure that Britain continues to receive high-quality, efficient healthcare.

Jose Bailey, Commercial Director at CHEC, said: “We are delighted to announce this “Outstanding” rating for CHEC Stoke. The recognition is welcomed as a strong testament to the consistent, high-quality, and safe delivery of CHEC’s services as we continue to support our more comprehensive NHS partners in the patient-centred provision of treatment. When NHS waiting lists continue to climb, community-based treatment epitomises the importance of alternative patient choice and ongoing healthcare across the UK.

“Our phenomenal teams strive to achieve Outstanding status across all CHEC treatment centres by continuing to place patients at the heart of our ethos in the delivery of first-class healthcare, earning us this distinguished classification.”

The Stoke centre is one of an ever-growing number of CHEC community healthcare centres across the UK. Last year, CHEC expanded its provisions into the area of endoscopy, and for the coming months, the focus will lie on growing this service while maintaining the quality of safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness, and leadership.