Government 'may not hit wait list target'

THE Government will fall short on its pledge to cut NHS waiting lists if current trends continue, according to new analysis.

- STORM NEWTON

Placing so much emphasis on the target risks slowing progress on other important issues, such as access to GPs, the Health Foundation warned.

Experts also heard that NHS trusts found themselves between “a rock and a hard place” last winter due to pressure to meet elective targets and manage urgent emergency care performance.

In January, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer pledged to slash NHS waiting lists by setting a target for the health service to carry out 92% of routine operations within 18 weeks by the end of Parliament in 2029.

The new report by the Health Foundation said waiting lists are in “slightly better shape” than when the Labour Government came into power last year.

Data shows the proportion of patients seen within 18 weeks has gone up slightly from 58.8% in July 2024 to 61.3% in July 2025, with the total waiting list falling from 7.6 million to 7.4 million.

Health Foundation analysis found referrals onto the waiting list increased by 1.5% between August last year and July 2025.

At the same time, removals rose by 2.3%.

Removals include people whose treatment is marked as complete, either because they have started or do not need treatment, or if the patient has declined treatment.