Why Rishi Sunak’s NHS pain could become chronic

Waiting lists are down, but there are many signs the NHS will continue to struggle, says Sean O’Grady

Numbers are going in the right direction, but will it be enough to help the PM meet his pledges?

Figures from NHS England present a mixed picture of progress in dealing with the post-pandemic backlog of cases across the NHS. Rishi Sunak has made the reduction in waiting lists one of his five key pledges for progress in 2023, but what success actually means isn’t entirely clear.

What’s the good news?

The prime minister was so pleased with at least one of the metrics that he tweeted: “I promised I would cut NHS waiting lists and we are delivering. Reducing 18-month waits by over 90 per cent is huge progress. We still have work to do, but backed by record government investment and the ongoing efforts of the NHS, I am confident we will get patients the care they need more quickly.”