MPs welcome fall of more than 13,000 in Staffordshire hospital waiting lists

New figures reveal that hospital waiting lists across Staffordshire have fallen by 13,393 since the general election, reflecting a local improvement that mirrors a wider national trend across the NHS.

The figures include patients treated at County Hospital in Stafford and Royal Stoke University Hospital, both part of University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM). Despite record demand for services, waiting lists are continuing to come down both locally and nationally.

Modernising Local Healthcare

Leigh Ingham and Gareth Snell have been working closely with staff at UHNM to support efforts to reduce waiting times, modernise hospital technology, and ensure local services are properly supported.

The progress locally reflects a broader national effort, driven by record investment and NHS modernisation. Key local developments include:

• £9.8 million Day Case Unit: A new facility in Stafford designed to tackle backlogs and provide faster access to surgery.
• Advanced Robotic Surgery: The implementation of state-of-the-art robotic systems to perform operations more quickly, allowing for faster patient recovery and higher throughput.

“I’m incredibly proud of the hardworking teams at County Hospital and Royal Stoke for their work reducing waiting lists. This progress has only been possible because of the dedication of local NHS staff who have worked tirelessly under huge pressure. The last Government left the NHS in a sorry state... This Labour Government has been laser focussed on fixing the NHS.”

— Leigh Ingham, MP for Stafford, Eccleshall, and the villages

“A reduction of more than 13,000 people on the waiting list since the election is a hugely significant achievement... The implementation of a state of the art robotic system means that operations take less time and patients are able to recover more quickly, enabling clinicians to treat more patients.”

— Gareth Snell, MP for Stoke on Trent Central

Sustaining Improvements

Dr Simon Constable, Chief Executive of UHNM, noted that while real progress has been delivered, the Trust remains committed to reducing waits further and prioritising those who have been waiting the longest.

Nationally, waiting lists have decreased by more than 312,000 since the election. While the government set a target of two million extra elective appointments in its first year, the NHS delivered more than five million additional tests, procedures, and operations between July 2024 and June 2025.

Both MPs stressed that despite these successes, pressures on the NHS remain high and further reducing waiting times remains a top priority.