NHS waiting times for non-urgent care - our response

The government has met an interim target for speeding up hospital treatment.

New NHS data on elective care shows that 65.3% of patients were treated within 18 weeks, against a target of 65%.

The overall waiting list for hospital care also improved, falling from 7.2 million to 7.1 million within a month, which is the lowest for three and a half years.

Chris McCann, our Acting Chief Executive, said: 

“Meeting the interim target of 65.3% of patients starting treatment within 18 weeks is an important step forward and will be welcome news for people waiting for care.

“It is particularly encouraging to see the overall waiting list fall to 7.11 million, which is down by around half a million over the past year, alongside a significant drop in the number of people waiting over a year. For those who have faced long and often stressful waits, this progress will make a real difference to their lives.

“Despite the progress, this still leaves an unacceptably high number of people stuck in limbo, many for far longer than they should be.

“The experience of being on a waiting list can take a toll on people’s health, work, and family life. 

“As efforts to reduce waits continue, it is vital that people are kept informed about their care, understand the support available to them while they wait, and feel confident that they have not been forgotten.”