Waiting list for operations at Wigan's hospitals remains much smaller than last year, despite small increase

The number of people waiting for operations at Wigan’s hospitals has increased slightly, according to new figures, but the waiting list remains smaller than it was last year.

Staff at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) have been working to treat patients waiting for elective procedures.

A number of changes have been made, including more robotic assisted surgery at Wrightington Hospital and a one-stop hernia pathway at Leigh Infirmary.

New data released by NHS England shows there were 45,361 people waiting for treatment at the end of June, up 1.5 per cent from 44,669 in May.

But it was still 10.5 per cent down on the 49,368 people who were on the waiting list at the end of June 2025.

Nationally the waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England fell slightly, from 6.16m patients in May to 6.15m in June, following two months of consecutive increases.

The average waiting time for WWL patients was 13.7 weeks at the end of June, an improvement on 13.9 weeks the month before and 14.8 the year before.

A total of 1,060 people had been waiting for more than a year - up slightly from 1,053 in May but down from 1,821 in June 2025.

Separate NHS data shows 8,141 people were waiting for one of 14 standard tests in June, up from 7,889 in May.

A total of 959 patients had been waiting for more than six weeks (11.8 per cent) and 166 for more than 13 weeks.

The most in-demand test was non-obstetric ultrasound, with 2,529 people on the waiting list, followed by MRI scan (2,159) and echocardiogram (1,317).

There were 9,856 waiting list tests carried out in June, as well as 1,374 planned tests and 4,036 unplanned tests.

A £3.7m state-of-the-art diagnostics area was opened at Wigan Infirmary in July to reduce waiting times for patients.

It has a computed tomography (CT) scanner and two digital X-ray rooms, serving ward patients and those arriving via the A&E unit.

It follows the opening of the Andrew Foster endoscopy unit earlier this year to provide quicker access to endoscopy procedures, meaning earlier diagnosis of conditions such as bowel cancer.

Sarah Brennan, Chief Operating Officer at WWL, said:

"Our staff continue to work tirelessly to reduce waiting times for tests and elective procedures to ensure patients receive timely, high-quality care amidst sustained high demand across our services.

“We are pleased to see significant long-term progress reflected in the latest figures, with our overall elective waiting list down 10.5 per cent compared to the same period last year.

“Crucially, average waiting times have also improved, and long-wait lists have fallen year-on-year.

"This reduction in average wait times is the direct result of targeted strategies designed to increase treatment capacity and streamline patient pathways.

“Maximising facilities like the Leigh and Wrightington Surgical Hubs allows routine planned diagnostics to continue without being delayed or cancelled due to emergency hospital pressures.

“We have invested £3.7m into our Diagnostic Hub at the Royal Albert Edward Informary site, and the Andrew Foster Endoscopy Unit, both of which are providing faster access to essential scans and tests, allowing clinical teams to diagnose and treat patients sooner.

“Tighter clinical triage, streamlined outpatient appointments, and extra evening/weekend diagnostic sessions have enabled us to see more patients each week too.

"While sustained high demand has created a minor month-on-month fluctuation in overall waiting numbers, these investments and operational improvements ensure we are maximising every available resource to treat patients as quickly and safely as possible.

“We are proud of what our teams have achieved and remain committed to delivering safe, effective and compassionate care to patients across Wigan and the wider community.”