South West NHS reaches waiting list milestone, with Torbay and South Devon playing our part
The NHS in the South West has delivered more than one million waiting list operations in a single year for the first time – an important regional milestone that our teams in Torbay and South Devon are proud to have contributed to.
Across the region, tens of thousands more people have received the treatment they had been waiting for. This progress has been driven by better use of theatre time, more day case surgery, and smarter use of digital technology – many of which reflect work already underway here.
During the past year, we have increased the number of people treated as day cases. This helps people get home sooner to recover in a place that feels familiar and safe, while also freeing up inpatient beds for those who need them. We have also improved theatre productivity through a focused programme of work delivered with NHS England South West.
We have strengthened the accuracy and efficiency of our waiting lists by investing in a dedicated in house validation team, supported by new digital tools. This means people are contacted sooner, errors are reduced, and fewer appointments are missed.
Further improvements are being made for people waiting for outpatient appointments. Through the Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) standardised clinic template programme, services including Ear, Nose and Throat, Gastroenterology and Cardiology are offering more than 1,000 additional appointments this year. Our teams are also learning from high performing services elsewhere in the region and are working to match – and exceed – these improvements so more people can be seen more quickly.
Better business planning has reduced our reliance on costly insourcing, ensuring more care is delivered locally by our own NHS teams. Clinical services have also provided significant additional weekend work, helping reduce long waits for people who have often already been waiting many months.
Digital tools are supporting more personalised and efficient care. The My Recovery app helps people feel prepared for surgery and supports recovery afterwards, alongside wider use of remote monitoring and digital pathways. With our Electronic Patient Record going live this spring, we expect further opportunities to reduce administrative burden and improve care.
Together, these improvements have contributed to a 2.6% regional productivity increase since April 2025 – well above the national target. Most importantly, they mean better, quicker care for people across the South West.
Wonderful nurse Jenny scoops top national award
Neonatal Nursery Nurse Jenny King has received NHS England’s Chief Nursing Officer Healthcare Support Worker award.
Jenny, who works on our Special Care Baby Unit, was nominated for her outstanding compassion, professionalism and advocacy in supporting babies and families. Her nomination highlights her ability to build trusting relationships and empower families under her care. It was noted that she consistently delivers high-quality, personalised care that positively impacts both family experience and team culture.
Her nomination said: “Jenny is an optimistic ball of energy, passion and commitment whose influence and connection positively impacts her colleagues, babies and the families she cares for. She consistently receives feedback from families which are heartfelt with gratitude.
“Her knowledge, skill and expertise is at the heart of her work to ensure families are supported to develop a close and loving relationship at a time when this could be compromised due to an unexpected neonatal stay in hospital.
“Jenny is a wonderful person to be around and positively enhances the work environment – her humour and goodwill is infectious! She is highly regarded and respected by colleagues and families and is committed to continually improving the experience for babies and families.”
Our Chief Nurse, Nicola McMinn presented Jenny with her award earlier this month and was cheered on by her colleagues.
A huge well done to Jenny, we’re so proud of you.