NHS teams in the North West have delivered a record-breaking year of elective care.
New national figures show that hospitals performed the highest ever number of surgeries, tests, checks, and elective appointments in a single financial year, with widespread improvements across the region.
Dr Michael Gregory, regional medical director for NHS England North West, said: "These figures are testament to the extraordinary effort of NHS staff right across the North West.
"Every number in these statistics represents a real person who has had their operation, received their test result, or been seen by a specialist.
"That matters enormously.
"We have made real progress, but we are under no illusions that there is still more to do."
NHS England’s latest operational data shows 65.3 per cent of patients nationally were seen within 18 weeks, and waiting lists fell by more than 312,000 last year – the biggest annual reduction in 16 years.
Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside, and Lancashire and South Cumbria have all reported shorter waiting lists and improved patient flow.
A new hernia pathway at Leigh Infirmary has helped more than 120 patients so far, with a further 100 now waiting for surgery.
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