Health Services: Runcorn and Helsby

Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission and a top priority for this government. On 6 January 2025, NHS England published the new Elective Reform Plan, part of the Government’s Plan for Change, which sets out a whole system approach to hitting the 18-week referral to treatment target by the end of this Parliament. The plan sets out the reform and productivity efforts needed to ensure that patients are seen on time and have the best possible experience during their care, including those using the National Health Service in Runcorn and Helsby. The plan is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/reforming-elective-care-for-patients.pdf

We have set an ambition to make progress on the 18-week standard in 2025/26, to 65% nationally and for all trusts to deliver a minimum five percentage point improvement by March 2026. At the end of November 2024, the rate in Warrington and Halton Hospital NHS Trust was 59.5%, and the rate at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust was 49.6%.

At the 2024 Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced £1.5 billion of capital funding for new surgical hubs and diagnostic scanners. This will build capacity for over 30,000 additional procedures and over 1.25 million diagnostic tests, as well as new beds which will create more treatment space in emergency departments, reduce waiting times, and help shift more care into the community.

Dedicated and protected surgical hubs are transforming the way the NHS provides elective care by focusing on high volume low complexity surgeries. There is one operational surgical hub serving patients in the Runcorn and Helsby constituency at Halton General Hospital - Mid Mersey Elective Hub (Captain Sir Tom Moore).