ROYAL Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) is outperforming national averages in reducing patient waiting times, according to the latest NHS data.

In April, more than 70 per cent of patients at RCHT were seen within the NHS’s 18-week referral-to-treatment target – well above the national average of just under 60 per cent, as reported by the BBC.

The Trust’s waiting list has also seen sustained improvement, averaging around 41,000 patients this year, down from a peak of 48,751 in May 2023.

Chief Operating Officer Robin Jones praised staff efforts in driving the improvements: “We’re really pleased to see this progress. We all know it’s a challenging time for the NHS, but the dedication of our staff has enabled us to make this significant headway and outperform the national average.”

RCHT is now ranked third in the South West for reducing the number of patients waiting over 52 weeks for treatment, marking a key milestone in addressing long delays.

“It’s great to see this reduction in our longest waiters, which represents real progress in getting patients the care they need. We remain focused on further improvements, particularly as we navigate the typically busier summer months,” said Mr Jones.

Over the past year, the Trust has ramped up its elective care efforts, carrying out nearly 81,000 procedures – a seven per cent increase on pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Diagnostic performance has also improved significantly, with 91 per cent of patients receiving tests within six weeks, placing RCHT among the best-performing acute providers in the region.

Support from the national Elective Recovery Fund has helped boost capacity. Partnerships with Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust have enabled the Bodmin and West Cornwall Community Diagnostic Centres to see over 88,700 patients since opening. The newly established St Austell Surgical Hub has treated more than 1,200 patients since launching in November 2024.