East Sussex sees strong NHS Improvements

"Several indicators reveal strong NHS improvements"

The NHS has long been reported to be in a state of crisis. Since the pandemic, the BBC has regularly reported that all NHS trusts have witnessed a decline in performance, with most targets being missed. Yet, despite facing a very tough winter due to a virulent new strain of the flu virus, the Sussex NHS trust has been able to improve. These improvements in service delivery spread across a broad range of measures, showing deep enhancements.

GP surgeries

A long source of concern from NHS users has been the inability to see a GP within a reasonable time. GPs have been able to improve the proportion of patients seen within 7 days despite conducting, on average, more monthly appointments. Comparing 2023 to 2025, the proportion of appointments being held on the day a patient contacted their surgery increased by 10% (37% - 47%). Further, the proportion of appointments being conducted within one working day of a surgery being contacted has increased by 5% in the same period (18%-23%). In contrast, the proportion of appointments being held more than a week from a requested appointment decreased 9% (13%-4%). Vitally, this would indicate that despite the additional pressures GP surgeries have experienced this winter, they have managed to see more patients within a respectable timeframe.

Figure 1 - Time taken to see a GP upon a request - all appointments, Sussex NHS Trust. Source: NHS England data.

Emergency services

Perhaps the most alarming trend many people witnessed was the worsening response times in ambulance callouts. In 2023, previous analysis by our data analyst, James Prentice, found that response times for the most urgent category callouts, Cat 1 & Cat 2, had worsened. Worryingly, these cases cover life-threatening illness (such as cardiac arrest - Cat 1 and serious emergencies – such as heart attacks, sepsis and major burns – Cat 2). This means that patient outcomes likely worsened due to decreasing performance. Yet, throughout 2025, these response times have dramatically improved, with Category 2 responses having quickened by 19 minutes, when compared to the June 2022 peak of 43 minutes. With the average response time for Hastings and St Leonards now being 24 minutes, this brings the town much closer to the target time of 18 minutes. Impressively, these improvements have extended during the late autumn and early winter months, suggesting that services have improved enough to hold off severe pressures that the winter season can bring.

Figure 2 - Average SEACAMB ambulance response times, Hastings and St Leonards - 2022 - 2025. Source: FOI to SEACAMB.

Hospital provision

Hospital’s handling of ambulance services has also improved regarding the time taken to hand patients over to hospital care. Ambulance handover times have improved by 4 and a half minutes throughout 2025, reducing rom an average of 21 minutes to 16 and a half, much closer to the 15 minute national target. This means that patients needing urgent care are being admitted to hospital more quickly. This is important as it can improve patient outcomes and indicates an enhancement of hospitals’ provision.

Hospitals have also lowered patient backlogs by improving waiting times. From being referred to a hospital service, the NHS sets a target of 92% of patients being treated within 18 weeks. At the peak of the backlogs in May 2023, on average, 54% of patients would wait 18 weeks for a treatment after being referred. Yet, at the end of 2025, this average waiting time had declined to 13 weeks. Importantly, this reduction has increased the proportion of patients being seen within the 18-week target time. In the same period, there was an 8%-point increase in patients being seen within the 18-week deadline (54.3% - 62.5%). At the end of 2025, 92% of patients are now seen within 38 weeks, improved from the 48 weeks in May 2023. Whilst this still falls below the target, it does reflect East Sussex NHS hospital trust improvements within a difficult winter period. Such improvements will mean fewer people will remain in pain and discomfort whilst waiting for surgery.

Figure 3: Average waiting times between referral & treatment, 2016 - 2026 - East Sussex NHS Trust. Source: NHS data.

For those who have used A&E, their waiting times, on average, have also been reduced. In 2022, only 63% of patients were seen within the 4hr target. In the final four months of 2025, 73% were cared for within the target time, an improvement of 10%. Interestingly, the proportion seen within the target time was higher this winter than in the last winter, indicating that these improvements are being sustained even during times of intense health pressures. Further, with these winter pressures being overcome, this indicates a long-term trend where response times will continue to improve as pressures ease in the warmer months.

How this has been achieved?

These findings indicate that this has primarily been achieved through better sustaining and recruiting staff. In particular, GP surgeries have suffered from a high workload combined with limited staff to meet the rising demand. Indeed, the Hastings Old Town surgery was found to have one of the highest patient-to-GP ratios in the country, greatly explaining the worsening appointment waiting times in the town.

Yet, within the last two years, the number of patients per full time GP within Hastings & St Leonards surgeries has greatly improved. For instance, in March 2023, there were 238 full time GPs within the East Sussex NHS trust, with this having risen to 276 by December 2025, a 16% increase. This development has resulted in a drop of 297 (1,988 to 1,691) patients per GP, a 15% decrease in the patient-to-GP ratio.

Figure 4 - Number of full time GPs in East Sussex . Source: House of Commons Library.

The surgeries with the largest patient numbers, Hastings Old Town surgery (26,000), Hill surgery (20,000) and High Glades (18,000) saw the biggest increase in GP numbers. As these represent over 50% of the population and historically have had the biggest challenges in finding enough GPs, this indicates improvements have been made by directing new GPs to where shortfalls are greatest. This may have occurred because the new government has enabled GP surgeries to hire more staff, with resources being directed to deprived areas, thus favouring towns like Hastings. Greater capacity has allowed GP surgeries in East Sussex to deliver more appointments. In 2023, monthly appointments were 13,240, increasing to 16,611 by the end of 2025. Therefore, as local surgeries have the staff to deliver more appointments, more people have naturally found themselves being able to see a GP on the same day they make an appointment.

Further, NHS England data confirms that the number of vacancies within South East trusts has reduced by 4,550 (18,247 – 13,705), a decrease of 25%. Vitally, the data available indicates that greater staff numbers has enabled the Sussex NHS Trust to reduce delays, provided greater capacity to deliver services and increased efficiency. As this greater capacity has reduced backlogs, future cases should have earlier intervention and better outcomes. Therefore, if the Trust can keep the positive momentum going, there is no reason why 2026 can’t be a year of further NHS improvements.

Published: 02/03/2026. Author: James Prentice.