Patients residing in deprived areas of Somerset are now accessing elective hospital treatments up to four months sooner, thanks to an innovative “scoring system” recently introduced by the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. This targeted approach aims to reduce waiting times as part of the Labour government’s ten-year NHS plan, which strives for 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks for routine operations.
The scoring system, currently in use at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, identifies patients based on specific vulnerability criteria and prioritizes their treatment accordingly. Early results show that patients meeting these criteria are treated three to four months earlier than before the system was implemented. Efforts are underway to extend this approach to Yeovil Hospital, also operated by the same trust.
Outlined ahead of the NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board meeting, the system assigns points to patients based on factors that consider their health and social circumstances. For example, individuals with learning disabilities or children in foster care receive three points each, which flags their cases for urgent prioritization. Children under two years old and patients with active mental health referrals are assigned two points, while those living in areas of high social deprivation receive one point.
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Stephen Rosser, interim associate director for planned care at the ICB, explains the impact: “Patients scoring three points or more are escalated to urgent status and prioritized for outpatient consultations or surgical procedures where capacity allows. For patients with learning difficulties, additional support from the trust’s liaison team ensures they are assisted in attending appointments.”
Currently, Musgrove Park and Yeovil Hospitals manage about 75% of elective surgeries for the Somerset area, with the remainder provided by neighboring hospitals and private sector NHS contractors. Of the 53,874 patients on the trust’s waiting list, roughly 9.4% (5,080 patients) come from the county’s most deprived communities.
To further safeguard vulnerable patients, especially those from deprived areas who may not proactively seek care, the trust has implemented a safety netting process. Patients on the waiting list are sent regular letters at intervals depending on their wait times, inviting them to report any worsening conditions. Approximately 250–300 safety netting letters are dispatched monthly, though their number has decreased alongside shorter waits. Response rates remain steady at around 50 patients per month, allowing the trust to identify and address urgent issues promptly.
This scoring and monitoring system represents a significant step forward in ensuring equitable and timely access to care for the most vulnerable populations in Somerset, reducing health inequalities and improving patient outcomes.