Shake-up at Oswestry hospital spinal services as figures reveal patients face long waits only to be discharged

Reform at Oswestry Hospital Spinal Services Amid Long Waits

Hundreds of patients from England and Wales suffering from back pain have been waiting up to a year at the Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH), only to be told they do not require specialist treatment.

Referral System Under Review

Leaders at RJAH are implementing changes to the referral process for spinal problems. A national NHS team from the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme visited RJAH in January to introduce a new "single point of access" system.

This system is currently being trialled and is planned for full launch next year to ensure patients receive "the right care at the right place at the right time."

Rising Referrals and Capacity Issues

The hospital board was informed on November 5 about a nationwide increase in referrals. RJAH has experienced a rise from 4,500 referrals in 2018/19 to 6,802 in 2024/25, with 4,021 from England and 2,781 from Wales.

This growing demand is creating a significant imbalance between capacity and patient needs.

High Discharge Rate Highlights System Problems

“What’s really interesting is a 32 per cent discharge rate. 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.”

Patients are reportedly waiting around 52 weeks to be seen in the outpatient department, indicating delays and inefficiencies in current care pathways.

Summary

RJAH is addressing long wait times and a growing referral backlog by trialling a new access system to better match patient needs with specialist care availability.

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Shropshire Star Shropshire Star — 2025-11-10

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