NHS staff have more than halved the average wait for tests and
checks since the height of the pandemic as the waiting list
continues to fall, new data shows today.
Patients were waiting an average of 17 days for tests and checks
in January – 43 days less than at the height of the pandemic (May
2020).
Average waits for tests are now the lowest since 2.1 weeks in
February 2020.
NHS teams delivered more than 2.5 million checks in January, up
almost a quarter (23%) on 2.05 million in January 2019 and 5%
higher than the same month last year (2.4 million in Jan 2024).
The total waiting list in January fell for the fifth month in a
row by 35,000 from 7.46m to 7.43m, meaning it has now fallen by
193,000 since July 2024. The estimated number of patients waiting
in January was 6.25 million.
Together with the government, the NHS published the elective care
reform plan in January, setting out how the NHS will reform care
for patients and meet the 18 week standard by March 2029.
Staff are already making progress against the standard, 58.9% of
patients were treated within 18 weeks as waits of over a year
fell to 198,868 – the lowest since November 2020 (192,236). Waits
of over a year now make up only 2.7% of the waiting list.
NHS staff delivered 1.59 million treatments in January, up around
20,000 on 1.57 million in January 2024 and 5% higher than the
same period pre-pandemic (1.52 million in January 2020).
Despite not meeting the 28-day faster diagnosis standard in
January, the number of people given a definitive diagnosis for
cancer or the all clear within four weeks increased compared to
the previous month, with 195,366 seen within target (up from
190,571 in December 2024 and 186,422 the year before).
Although there was higher demand in January 2025 compared to the
same month the year before, performance increased from 70.8% to
73.4%. There were also 58,622 total cancer treatments in January,
8,000 more than the month before (50,696).
Staff continued to bring down waits for urgent and emergency
care, with A&E performance and all categories of ambulance
response times improved on both the month and year before. Around
three quarters (73.4%) of patients were admitted, transferred, or
discharged in A&E within four hours, while the average
response for Category 2 ambulance calls was 31 minutes 22
seconds.
Separate weekly data for the week to 9 March showed hospitals
face continued winter pressure with average 1,063 patients per
day in hospital with norovirus – up more than 50% on the same
week last year (683).
Bed occupancy remained high with 95.5% of adult beds taken up,
yet problems discharging patients continued to have an impact on
capacity with 13,717 beds each day taken up by patients who did
not need to be in hospital.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical
director, said: “Delivering more tests and checks faster
is a vital part of efforts to cut waiting lists, and it is hugely
significant that thanks to the hard work of staff and the rollout
of community diagnostic centres, the average time waiting for
tests has fallen to just 17 days – the quickest in almost five
years.
“Despite huge pressure this winter from high bed occupancy and
winter viruses, NHS teams delivered huge increases in treatments,
tests and cancer checks, and as well as the overall waiting list
falling for the fifth month in a row, it is welcome that the
number of patients waiting more than a year has fallen below
200,000 for the first time since 2020.
“We know there is much further to go to reduce waits and delays
across all NHS services, but today's figures are encouraging and
we continue to ask anyone noticing worrying symptoms or in need
of care to come forward – the NHS is here to help you”.
Health and Social Care Secretary, , said: “Although there is still a long way
to go, after more than a decade of rising NHS waiting lists, this
government has already cut them by 193,000.
“By delivering the two million more appointments we promised
before the election, ending the strikes, and reforming the NHS to
drive up productivity, we are putting the NHS on the road to
recovery.
“Through the Prime Minister's Plan for Change, we will cut the
longest waiting times from 18 months to 18 weeks, so the NHS is
there for you when you need it, once again.”
Background
- The latest NHS monthly statistics are available here.
