Home / Health / NHS Waiting List Sees Rare Third Month of Declines
NHS Waiting List Sees Rare Third Month of Declines
12 Mar
Summary
- NHS waiting list in England has fallen for three consecutive months.
- Over 7.25 million treatments were waiting at the end of January.
- Worry remains about meeting the March target for 18-week waits.
New figures indicate a sustained reduction in NHS waiting lists across England for a third consecutive month. As of the end of January, approximately 7.25 million treatments were awaiting commencement, involving 6.13 million patients. This marks a decrease from December's figures and represents the lowest waiting list level seen since February 2023. The NHS reported these improvements occurred despite experiencing its busiest winter period to date.
Analysis by the Nuffield Trust suggests that while the current trend offers some relief, the NHS is still significantly behind its March objective of ensuring 65% of patients begin treatment within 18 weeks. There are also concerns about the sustainability of these improvements over the long term. While the number of patients waiting over a year has decreased to its lowest point since August 2020, there has been a slight increase in those waiting over 18 months.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting highlighted that waiting times are moving in the right direction, with improvements in A&E and ambulance services during winter. However, experts caution that some of the list reduction may be due to data tidying, such as removing patients who no longer require treatment. The focus on short-term targets might not guarantee consistent, year-round progress.
