waiting time statistics
Elective recovery fails to halt soaring waiting times
September was the NHS's best chance to arrest the rapid deterioration in elective waiting times. But the challenge was too great.
September was the NHS's best chance to arrest the rapid deterioration in elective waiting times. But the challenge was too great.
The pace will need to be even higher in 2025-26
Elective admissions rose sharply following the relaxation of covid measures, but it was not enough to stop the waiting list from growing
Of 7.4 million waiting, 6.3 million do not have a diagnosis and decision, and 26,800 of those may turn out to have cancer
Targets to eliminate the longest waits slipped further out of reach in December
The waiting time to diagnosis and decision has risen to over 10 months.
Waiting times were steady in November, and other indicators followed the usual post-2012 pattern. Which means things are still getting steadily worse.
The number of 104 week waiters improved, but overall things are getting worse with elective waits.
Growing underlying pressures are coming into conflict with the headline targets
But one month does not a recovery make