Shake-up at Oswestry Hospital Spinal Services
Hundreds of patients from England and Wales suffering from back pain have been waiting for up to a year at the Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH), only to be informed that specialist treatment is not required.
Referral System Under Review
The hospital leadership has been notified that the current referral process for spinal problems is undergoing a major overhaul to address these issues.
National Intervention and New System
In January, an NHS team from the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme visited RJAH to introduce a new "single point of access" system. This approach is currently being trialed and is expected to launch officially next year.
“The goal is to ensure patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”
Rising Referrals and Capacity Challenges
At a board meeting on November 5, it was reported that there is a national trend of increasing hospital referrals. RJAH has experienced a jump in referral numbers from 4,500 in 2018/19 to 6,802 in 2024/25, with 4,021 from England and 2,781 from Wales.
This surge shows no signs of slowing down, creating a mismatch between capacity and demand.
Concerns Over Patient Pathways
An official highlighted a significant issue: a 32% discharge rate, meaning nearly one-third of patients referred do not require treatment at the hospital.
“That would indicate we’ve got a problem with our pathways when almost a third of our patients actually don’t need to be here.”
She also noted that patients are waiting approximately 52 weeks to be seen in the outpatient department, indicating delays in access to care.
Summary
The hospital is implementing system changes to reduce long wait times and improve the referral process for spinal care, addressing a growing imbalance between demand and capacity.
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