Waiting times and staying well

Helpful information and guidance for patients waiting for a hospital consultation, treatment or surgery.

Waiting times at Mid Yorkshire

Due to the pressures on the NHS caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, more people are now waiting for NHS appointments and procedures. We understand that some people have been waiting a long time and appreciate that this has been very difficult.

The NHS is working hard to see people as quickly as possible, but it’s going to take a while before waiting times are back down to where they were before the COVID-19 pandemic began in the UK in early 2020.

You can view average wait times at our Trust on the NHS website

Waiting list review

We are undertaking a review of all patients on our waiting list for outpatient appointments and procedures/surgical treatments. This is part of a national initiative commissioned by NHS England (NHSE).

Find out more about the waiting list review

Useful information from the NHS

The NHS also provided some useful information for patients waiting for a hospital consultation, treatment or surgery.

How to look after your health and wellbeing

How to find local support

Preparing for your appointment

Useful information for Mid Yorkshire patients

At Mid Yorkshire, we have provided you with information to help you stay healthy while waiting to attend hospital. This should be read in conjunction with the specialty level guidance appropriate for your condition.

We will aim to provide you with a date for your procedure as soon as possible. We are committed to making your experience before, during and after your procedure as pleasant and safe as we can.

In turn, we would like patients on our waiting lists to help themselves to ensure you have the best possible outcome, and that means preparing your mind and body by using lifestyle changes, where necessary.

You can find lots of useful information below on how you can make some lifestyle changes to support you as well as access some tools that will help you.

You can also find out more about appointments and procedures at Mid Yorkshire.

Fitter Better Sooner - information and ideas about preparing for your operation/procedure

Improve your health

There are many changes you can make to reduce the risks of a procedure. Even small changes can make a big difference.

Before your procedure, you can make a big difference to your health and wellbeing in four different ways depending on your age. Why not take this time to commit to some of the following changes.

Everyone can:

Set time daily for physical exercise to get the blood and oxygen flowing around your body. Getting fitter before your procedure will help you recover quicker.
Eat a healthy balanced diet to help to give your body the energy it needs after an operation.
Take time to relax, your mental wellbeing is just as important as your physical side.

Adults can:

Drink less alcohol and improve your health by stopping smoking, this will reduce your risk of infection and make a big difference to your body before surgery.

Children can:

Cut down on foods and drinks that lead to tooth decay. Healthy teeth are important when having a procedure, to keep you safe.

Keep moving

Getting yourself in shape before your procedure is important, as it will positively impact on how well your procedure goes and your recovery afterwards.

A really good way to keep moving is taking regular walks. There are walking activities taking place across our region and you can easily sign up online at the following sites to try some:

You can even try Nordic walking using poles to help provide more support. It is an enjoyable fitness session for all ages and abilities and is one of the best cardiovascular and toning exercises there is. Here are the links:

Further support for patients from Kirklees

In the Kirklees area there are free services available to help you improve your health and wellbeing. You may benefit from a KAL Wellbeing - Fitness for Health & Live Well Programme to access specialist teams who will provide expert advice tailored to your needs. This could include a 12-week fitness programme with if you are prepared to commit to the programme.

To find out more including how to seek a health professional to refer you onwards, please visit the KAL Wellbeing - Fitness for Health & Live Well Programme website.

Further support for patients from Wakefield

In the Wakefield area there are free services available to help you improve your health and wellbeing. You may benefit from an Aspire Health Referral to access specialist teams who will provide expert advice tailored to your needs. This could include a 12-week fitness programme with access to a local gym if you are prepared to commit to the programme.

To find out more including how to ask any health professional to refer you onwards, please visit the Aspire Health Referral website.

Taking your medication

If you take regular medication, please follow the instructions you were given when it was prescribed to ensure that you stay well. Your doctor or pharmacist will be happy to answer any questions you have about your medication.

If you have been given specific advice during or after your pre-operative assessment to stop any medications before you attend hospital for your procedure, please follow this advice. The pre-operative team will be happy to answer any questions about specific advice you may have been given during your pre-operative assessment.

Good mental health

Waiting for hospital treatment can be a worrying time, so please don’t delay asking for help if you are struggling with your mental health.

If you’ve been feeling low or very anxious and this is affecting your day-to-day life, you should consider going to see your GP (doctor).

Depending on where you live there are some other services that can support you to help you understand and manage problems like anxiety, stress and low moods. Below are links to both Wakefield and Kirklees services to try: