Clearing the Oral and Maxillofacial surgery backlog at NHS Lanarkshire
Faced with a growing Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery backlog and national workforce shortages, NHS Lanarkshire partnered with Xyla, part of Acacium Group, to deliver a high-impact insourcing solution that accelerated patient care and improved outcomes.
Key statistics
- 2871 patients progressed
- 6-month contract extended 5 times due to performance
The challenge
NHS Lanarkshire, serving over 650,000 people, faced mounting pressure in winter 2023 due to a growing backlog in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) pathways. With national recruitment challenges limiting internal capacity, the Health Board needed a reliable partner to help reduce waiting times and improve patient outcomes.
Why Acacium Group?
Xyla, part of Acacium Group, was selected for its proven ability to deliver scalable, high-quality clinical services. With a strong track record in managing complex patient pathways and supporting NHS organisations under pressure, Xyla was well-positioned to provide the additional capacity needed.
The solution
Xyla was commissioned through an insourcing contract to support NHS Lanarkshire in progressing an initial 1,000 OMFS patient pathways between December 2023 and March 2024. The service was mobilised rapidly, with minimal disruption to the existing workforce. Weekly progress updates ensured clear communication and swift resolution of any issues.
Due to the success of the initial phase, the contract has seen multiple extensions to June 2025. Xyla’s clinical teams worked closely with NHS Lanarkshire to ensure alignment with local protocols and effective use of existing guidance.
Impact
Accelerated patient progression
Xyla’s fully managed insourcing service have provided NHS Lanarkshire with 3476 patient appointments to date.
Enhanced workforce collaboration
Xyla’s approach ensured seamless integration with NHS Lanarkshire’s teams, maintaining continuity of care and supporting the local workforce. The collaborative model enabled efficient service delivery without adding strain to internal resources.
Improved patient outcomes
By targeting patients who had been waiting the longest, the service not only improved clinical outcomes but also freed up capacity for hospital staff to focus on more complex cases.
‘Xyla were very well organised and addressed any issues highlighted from our service quickly. The consultants were able to treat the patients using the guidance supplied by our Health Board without any great difficulties and their work allowed us to reduce our long waiting list considerably, allowing patients to be seen that had been waiting a considerable amount of time. NHS Lanarkshire had a positive experience working with Xyla, who provided an excellent service with quick responses to any queries.”
Access Planning Manager, NHS Lanarkshire
Reducing the backlog with expert insourcing
If your organisation is facing surgical backlogs or capacity challenges, Xyla can provide a proven insourcing solution that delivers results and supports your workforce, get in touch.
