Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust asked Consultant Connect to review its elective waiting lists to give patients access to management plans for those not needing hospital care. The Referral Triage & Validation service uses NHS consultants to work remotely, reviewing each referral to identify whether the patient needs a first hospital appointment or could benefit from a management plan that is returned to primary care for treatment to commence. Since January 2026, the Trust has been using the service across eight specialties with an average waiting list reduction of more than 30%.
The headline numbers
- 28,000+ referrals triaged between January and the end of September 2026
- 8,500+ patients with an RTT clock stop – over one in three
- 6 specialties covered: Dermatology, ENT, Gastroenterology, Gynaecology, Neurology, and Urology
The RTT clock stop means that the patient does not need a first outpatient appointment in secondary care. Instead, consultants either return them to primary care with a detailed management plan, redirect them to a community service, or move them to a more appropriate service. Every patient has a clearer, faster route to the right care, and their GP has the guidance to act on it.
‘Our partnership with Consultant Connect has delivered real results and has been a key component of the Trust’s elective recovery journey this year. Over 8,500 patients have avoided an unnecessary first hospital appointment, with clearer plans and faster access to the right treatment, whilst freeing up capacity for those who need hospital care. The team at Consultant Connect have been incredibly easy to work with and really responsive to changes in demand which has contributed to the ongoing success of this project.’ – Laura Tomsett, Director for Outpatients, RTT and Cancer Access, Mid and South Essex Hospitals
How the project unfolded
The project launched in January 2026. Starting with the Trust’s 52-week wait list, the consultants triaged those referrals, while the local team focused on using the extra capacity to see long waiters who needed secondary care. Today, the service has moved from clearing the backlog to supporting new-in referrals, so that cases are sent down the right pathway from the start rather than accumulating into the next backlog.
Delivered by remote NHS consultants
The triage has been carried out by NHS consultants working remotely as virtual locums. They follow the Trust’s own pathways and protocols under the guidance of local clinical leads. The Trust’s consultants are freed up to run additional clinics rather than triage.
Results by specialty
| Specialty | Referrals triaged | Average reduction in referrals requiring a first appointment |
| ENT | 11,000 | 40% |
| Gynaecology | 6,500 | 20% |
| Dermatology | 5,500 | 39% |
| Urology | 2,800 | 25% |
| Gastroenterology | 2,000 | 20% |
| Neurology | 500 | 54% |
| All specialties | 28,000+ | over 30% |
ENT and Dermatology drive the result. Together, they account for more than 16,000 referrals, close to 58% of everything triaged, and both specialties achieve a high number of RTT clock stops (ENT 40%, Dermatology 39%). ENT alone delivered the largest share of clock stops. Neurology performed higher still at 54%, although on a smaller volume of nearly 500 referrals.
What this means for March 2027
The Trust is heading towards the March 2027 RTT target with three things in place:
- A cleared 52-week cohort. The longest waits, which put the most pressure on performance, have been addressed.
- Fewer unnecessary first appointments. More than 8,500 patients no longer need an outpatient slot, releasing capacity for those who do.
- A validated front door. With new-in referrals now triaged, demand is directed to the right place first time.
The service is managing clinical risk promptly. Triaging every referral means patients whose symptoms warrant a faster pathway are identified and upgraded, including to 2WW. And where appropriate, GPs receive a management plan so treatment can begin before any hospital appointment.
Better for patients
Fewer patients face a long wait for an appointment they did not need. Those discharged to primary care receive clear advice or reassurance, and those redirected reach a more suitable service sooner. The data also gives the Trust and its ICB insight into referral quality and trends by specialty, which feeds into GP education and pathway redesign.
Looking ahead
The next phase is to keep the front door validated, share the referral-quality insights with primary care, and consider extending triage to further specialties as the March 2027 deadline approaches. Because the service is switched on and off as demand changes, capacity follows pressure rather than the other way round.
If you are exploring how remote consultant-led triage could support your own elective recovery plans, we would be glad to talk. Find out more about the Referral Triage & Validation service or contact us at info@consultantconnect.org.uk or 01865 951 207.
*Data correct as of October 2026
