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The government in England has just met an important interim goal aimed at reducing hospital waiting times. By March 2026, 65% of patients were to receive treatment within 18 weeks, and the latest data shows this figure has inched past that mark to 65.3%. This achievement marks a crucial step toward the broader ambition of treating 92% of patients within 18 weeks by 2029, a pledge made by the current Labour government.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting celebrated this progress, noting the improvement from less than 59% at the time Labour took office. He highlighted that the success is due to the government’s investments, efforts to modernize the system, and the dedication of NHS staff nationwide. Streeting described the accomplishment as being “right on track to deliver the fastest reduction in waiting times in the history of the NHS,” while acknowledging that there is still more work ahead.
The overall numbers also reveal a slight reduction in the waiting list, which decreased from 7.2 million to 7.1 million within one month—the lowest level seen in three and a half years. NHS England’s chief executive, Sir Jim Mackey, referred to this as “a huge moment,” emphasizing that the progress represents meaningful improvements for patients and communities. This progress is particularly notable considering the NHS has faced repeated strikes by resident doctors during this period.
Despite these optimistic developments, experts caution that significant challenges remain before the 92% target can be realistically achieved. Tim Mitchell from the Royal College of Surgeons of England pointed out that persistent under-investment in infrastructure, including outdated buildings and limited numbers of theatres and beds, continues to hamper progress. Meanwhile, Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of the King’s Fund, warned that the government’s interim success relied heavily on extra funding provided earlier this year, which she called “spring funding.” She questioned the sustainability of such repeated financial boosts and suggested that the narrow focus on the 18-week treatment target might obscure other growing waiting lists that also require attention
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