The Government has achieved a key milestone in reducing NHS waiting times, with 65.3% of patients in England beginning hospital treatment within 18 weeks of referral in March, up from 62.6% in February. This marks the highest percentage since November 2021 and meets the interim target set by the Government and NHS England.
Waiting List Continues to Shrink
The overall waiting list for planned hospital treatment has fallen for the fifth consecutive month, now at its lowest since summer 2022. An estimated 7.11 million treatments were waiting to be carried out at the end of March, relating to 6.02 million patients, down from 7.22 million treatments and 6.11 million patients in February. This is the largest month-on-month drop since April 2020.
The number of people waiting over a year for treatment has also decreased significantly. At the end of March, 94,406 patients had been waiting more than 52 weeks, down from 122,668 in February, the lowest figure since July 2020. This represents 1.3% of the waiting list, down from 1.7% the previous month, though still above the target of less than 1%.
Cancer and A&E Targets Missed
Despite progress on elective care, interim targets for cancer and A&E were not met. In April, 76.9% of patients were seen within four hours in A&E, below the 78% target. For cancer, 72.8% of patients began treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral, below the 75% target. However, 79.4% of patients urgently referred for suspected cancer were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days, exceeding the 75% target.
Political and Expert Reactions
Health Secretary Wes Streeting hailed the achievement, stating: "It means we are right on track to deliver the fastest reduction in waiting times in the history of the NHS. That is thanks to the Government's investment, modernisation, and the remarkable efforts of staff right across the country. Lots done, lots more to do."
Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of the King's Fund, described meeting the 18-week target as a "significant achievement" but warned that the additional funding required may be unsustainable. She noted: "This is significant progress, but it may prove to be progress bought at a high price." She also highlighted the challenge of reaching the eventual 92% target by 2029, stating: "Ministers can celebrate today's milestone, but they cannot sprint their way to a lasting solution."
Tim Gardner, deputy director of policy at the Health Foundation, welcomed the data but cautioned: "Just over four in 10 acute NHS trusts did not achieve the required improvements and further targeted support will be needed to ensure an equitable recovery. The real test will be whether this progress can be sustained and built on in the months ahead."
