An aereal view of the coastline of Worthing, Sussex

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust

As part of an NHSE national initiative, HBSUK helped University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust cut Dermatology wait times by nearly 50% with our cutting-edge digital platform. In just four months, the program supported 3,799 patients, delivering fast and efficient dermatology assessments, significantly reducing demand on current capacity, and streamlining treatment pathways.

The challenge

In November 2024, HBSUK partnered with NHS England (NHSE) to rapidly reduce long-wait dermatology patients (>52 weeks) at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (UHSx). UHSx is one of the largest Trusts in the country, serving more than one million patients from its seven hospitals in Sussex, satellite sites and various community services.

Dermatology is one of the specialties covered by the NHSE GIRFT ‘FurtherFaster’ programme, which was established to deliver rapid clinical transformation and reduce 52-week long-waits. The programme aims to transform patient pathways, reduce unnecessary follow-up outpatient appointments, and improve access and waiting times for patients. All Trusts participating in the program were eligible for additional funding through the Elective Recovery Fund (ERF). Additionally, Trusts benefitted from tariffs for patients requiring a follow-up after their first appointment. Reporting processes for the program were agreed upon with NHSE.

The Outcomes

  • 4 Week

    mobilisation time

  • Nearly 50%

    reduction in dermatology long waits (vs. July 2023, meeting GIRFT ‘FurtherFaster’ 52-week wait target)

  • 141

    potential cancer referrals identified for the Two-Week Wait pathway

  • 7.2%

    of patients discharged back to GP

  • 72 hours

    for all patients to receive an outcome

  • 11%

    of patients required face-to-face appointment

  • 10.4%

    reduction in 52+ week wait Dermatology patients. (Of this percentage, 14% no longer needed an appointment. 1,245 patients were discharged due to non-response in line with Trust policy)

Close-up detail of a senior Black woman's hands holding and using a smartphone.

Build on these outcomes

Want to explore how these results were achieved – or run a similar programme in your service? Our client engagement team is happy to talk through the operational detail.

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