Elective recovery taskforce: implementation plan (August 2023)

Summary

Since February 2020, the elective waiting list has grown by 61% from 4.57 million to 7.47 million. The delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care set out the system-wide response to reducing this backlog.

Content

The independent sector demonstrated its ability and willingness to work collaboratively with the NHS towards a common goal during the pandemic. It currently delivers 6% of diagnostic tests, and 9% of appointments or treatments that completed a patient pathway and removed them from the waiting list, with even more care delivered through close partnerships with NHS providers.

All independent sector activity undertaken on behalf of the NHS is delivered free at the point of use (and independent sector providers (ISPs) are paid in line with NHS unit prices), upholding the founding principles of the NHS that access should be based on clinical need, not an individual’s ability to pay. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Maximising the use of all NHS assets and available independent sector capacity is a key part of the plan to tackle the elective backlog and, while use of the independent sector is up, this is concentrated in specific specialties.

The Elective Recovery Taskforce was set up in December 2022 to advise and inform the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Prime Minister on how to increase the volume of elective consultations and procedures by both the NHS and the independent sector as far as possible to tackle the backlog.

The taskforce, chaired by Minister Will Quince, brought together leading voices from across the NHS, independent healthcare sector and patient representatives to collaboratively come up with solutions.

The taskforce concluded at the end of March 2023, agreeing to work together to implement action in 4 core areas:

• empower patients to exercise their right to choice
• deliver a post-pandemic recovery
• enable longer-term system sustainability
• deliver this plan and go further

The actions are set out in this implementation plan, with a summary at Annex A. Following the conclusion of the taskforce at the end of March 2023, the focus has turned to delivery and putting these actions into practice, with appointees invited to convene after 6 months to review progress.