Hospitals in England have achieved a key waiting time target for the first time since November 2021, with 65.3% of patients treated within 18 weeks in March. Outgoing Health Secretary Wes Streeting declared Labour’s plan for the NHS is working, but experts have questioned how the target was reached.
The referral to treatment (RTT) target is a central pillar of Labour’s pledge to restore 92% of patients seen within 18 weeks by 2029. NHS England data shows the waiting list has fallen by over 500,000 since July 2024 to 7.11 million, marking five consecutive monthly reductions.
Streeting said the figures represented the biggest single-month cut in waiting lists in 17 years, attributing progress to government investment and staff efforts. However, critics note that extra funding of £120 million and a “validation sprint” – removing patients from lists through administrative checks – played a significant role.
The Nuffield Trust’s Bea Taylor highlighted that 70% of progress towards the 65% target occurred in the final two months, raising sustainability concerns. Shrewsbury and Telford Trust, for example, removed over 14,000 patients after being offered £33 per removal, earning more than £460,000.
While the NHS missed other targets for A&E, cancer, and ambulance response times, Streeting acknowledged “lots done, lots to do.” The King’s Fund called the RTT achievement significant but warned that intense demand makes sustained progress challenging.
