Burton hospital rewarded with £2m boost after cutting waiting times

The trust that runs Burton’s main hospital has been awarded a £2 million funding boost after making strong progress in reducing waiting times and improving access to planned care.

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, which oversees services at Queen’s Hospital Burton, was one of only eight trusts across England to receive the funding - recognition of work that is already making a difference for local patients.

Between April and September this year, the trust improved its performance against the national 18-week referral-to-treatment standard by just over five per cent. In simple terms, that means more people are being seen and treated within the expected timeframe after being referred by their GP.

During that same period, more than 52,700 patients received care across the trust, with over 21,300 surgical procedures completed. That represents nearly 2,000 more operations than during the same months last year - a clear sign of increasing capacity.

Progress has also been made at the sharper end of the waiting list. The number of patients waiting more than 52 weeks has been reduced, while the overall waiting list continues to shrink. By November, it stood at around 95,900 patients - the lowest level seen since May 2022.

Much of this improvement has come from making better use of available capacity and introducing digital tools that help staff stay in touch with patients. These systems allow people to confirm whether they still need treatment and have helped cut down on missed appointments, keeping clinics running smoothly.

The new funding will now be used to build on this momentum, with investment planned in extra capacity and equipment - good news for Burton residents who rely on their local hospital every day.