NHS Hospital Waiting Lists Edge Up Slightly After Months of Decline

By Staff, Agencies

For the first time in seven months, NHS hospital waiting lists in England have increased, according to new data released by NHS England.

As of the end of March, there were approximately 7.42 million outstanding treatments involving around 6.25 million patients—slightly up from February’s 7.40 million treatments and 6.24 million patients.

The uptick comes as Health Secretary Wes Streeting introduces a reform strategy aimed at improving NHS performance through a combination of incentives and accountability.

The plan promises bonuses and pay rises to NHS leaders who successfully cut waiting times and enhance services but warns of penalties for those who fall short. Streeting emphasized that such rewards would be “a reward and not a right.”

Despite the overall rise in waiting numbers, progress has been made in reducing the longest waits. The number of patients waiting more than 18 months for treatment fell to 1,164 in March, down from 1,691 the previous month—and significantly lower than the 4,769 recorded a year ago.

Similarly, 7,381 patients had been waiting over 65 weeks for treatment, down from 13,223 in February and 48,967 in March 2024. NHS England also highlighted that March saw over 100,000 more treatments delivered compared to the same month last year, making it the busiest March on record for diagnostic tests and checks.

Streeting acknowledged the uphill battle but praised the progress made since last July. “We’ve made real strides—especially over the winter months—by increasing appointments, cutting down on excessive wait times, and accelerating diagnoses,” he said. “More than 3.3 million additional appointments have now been delivered, helping hundreds of thousands of people receive the care they’ve been waiting for.”

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director, noted the persistent pressure on staff: “Frontline teams are managing enormous demand. While tackling the historic backlog, they’re also addressing a constant stream of new patients. In March, even amid a sharp rise in referrals, they delivered more care and timely cancer diagnoses for thousands.”