Streeting's comments came during a visit to the Trafford Elective Surgical Hub (TESH), which provides ‘routine' surgery, such as hip and knee replacements, for patients.

‘It was great to visit the Trafford Elective Surgical Hub today and see first-hand how investment is already translating into better care for patients,' Streeting said.

The work of the TESH team has played a key role in helping Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), which runs the hospital, improve its performance. MFT reduced waiting lists by 10.7% between December 2024 and December 2025, meaning that 21,500 patients fewer are now waiting for planned operations, the highest reduction in the North West.

A £13.8m investment from the NHS Targeted Improvement Fund has enabled TESH to expand by adding two brand-new operating theatres, increasing the number of operations that the team can carry out each week from 200 to 240.

Streeting added: ‘By creating specialist centres like this, we can protect planned operations from disruption and deliver record levels of elective care. That means more hip and knee replacements carried out faster, shorter waits for patients across Greater Manchester, and people getting back to living their lives sooner.

‘These hubs also provide modern facilities for staff, helping surgical teams work more efficiently and focus on what they do best – delivering high-quality care. This is exactly how we are bringing waiting lists down: targeted investment, smarter use of resources, and backing our NHS staff to deliver for patients.'