Government set to miss key NHS waiting list pledge as Labour fails to get a grip on crisis
Government warned it will not meet NHS waiting list target
- The government is projected to miss its manifesto pledge to treat 65 per cent of NHS patients within 18 weeks by the end of this parliament, according to analysis by the Health Foundation.
- While the NHS waiting list has decreased from 7.6 million to 7.4 million since July 2024, experts predict it will fall just short of the 18-week target by July 2029.
- Interim targets for March 2026, aiming for 65 per cent of patients seen within 18 weeks and less than one per cent waiting over 52 weeks, are also likely to be missed.
- Challenges include potential increases in referrals, the impact of industrial action, and a glitch in the e-referrals system that deletes patient referrals after 180 days.
- Despite these shortfalls, if current trends continue, 92 per cent of patients could be seen within 20 weeks by the end of the next parliament, a waiting time not observed since 2017.