The overall waiting list at the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust is down by more than 13,000, the government says
22:30, 14 Jan 2026Updated 17:29, 16 Jan 2026
Freeman Hospital in Newcastle(Image: ncjMedia)
The Government says that so-called “crack teams” sent into twenty NHS hospital trusts around the country – including in Newcastle – have brought down waiting lists three times quicker than on average. The then-new Labour Government announced the move in September 2024, not long after coming to power.
In that time, the overall waiting list at the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust is down by more than 13,000. The twenty NHS trusts chosen to be part of the “Further Faster 20” (FF20) programme were selected on the basis of being in areas with the nation’s highest levels of economic inactivity. The hope was that this would “cut waiting lists and boost growth”.
The FF20 programme is set to publish an evaluative report highlighting the success of these teams. At the time of the announcement, it was reported that medics who had helped hospital procedures in London “run like a Formula 1 pitstop” were being sent to Newcastle to help reduce waiting lists.
In September 2024, the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust had 102,762 people on its elective waiting lists. This had fallen from a peak of almost 110,000 in October 2023. At the time of writing, NHS waiting list data for November 2025 was set to be published.
But according to the most recent data available, for October last year, there were a total of 89,175 people waiting for NHS treatment. There were also just 1,009 patients who had waited more than a year for elective procedures.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “We said our Elective Reform Plan would get waiting lists down, and one year on that’s exactly what it’s delivering. Along with record investment, we’re doing things differently to get patients seen quicker, back to work and living their lives.
“By sending crack teams into hospitals to supercharge care, opening more Community Diagnostic Centres longer and later, and cutting wasteful spending, we’re turning the tanker round and patients are starting to feel the difference. It will be a long road, but together with NHS staff, we are fixing our health service and make it fit for the future and beyond.”
Around the UK, since July 2024, the waiting list is down by more than 225,000 despite there having been 28.4 million referrals. Along with the example of High Flow Theatre Lists – the “F1 style” surgery with theatres operating continuously – the work has also seen outpatient processes “streamlined”.
The evaluation, published by NHS England, found that over the 12 months from October 2024 to October 2025, waiting lists in FF20 areas fell three times faster than the rest of the country. The Government claims that in addition to this programme, the NHS had seen more evening and weekend clinics, expanded community diagnostics and extra GP appointments.
The Government said the NHS was growing productivity by 2.7% a month bin the year to March 2025. Whitehall officials said this was “getting more bang for the taxpayer’s buck”.
Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of the NHS Providers organisation, said: “It’s great to see NHS trusts’ innovation and hard work to see patients quickly, cut waiting lists and boost productivity making such a huge contribution to the economy and growth.
“This is all the more impressive given the impact of record demand, resident doctor strikes and a relentless focus on delivering a financial ‘break even’ position for the NHS as a whole.”
Tim Mitchell, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), added: “It is encouraging to see targeted support helping trusts run operating lists and outpatient clinics more efficiently. Long waits carry real human costs – prolonged pain, loss of independence, time away from work and disrupted lives.
“This initiative shows what’s possible with focused investment. Our surgical workforce census shows surgeons are ready to do more operations, and with the right theatres, staffing and bed capacity in place, the NHS can go further and faster in tackling waiting lists.”
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