NHS failing to cut waiting times as promised in recovery plan, report warns

"The NHS has failed to cut waiting times as promised in its recovery plan despite billions of pounds in investment, the public accounts committee (PAC) has warned. The influential parliamentary committee's verdict raises serious doubts over whether Labour can fulfil its key pledge to voters to fix the NHS by ensuring that patients can once again get hospital care within 18 weeks by 2029."

"Far more patients than promised still have to wait more than 18 weeks for non-urgent hospital care sometimes for more than a year and more than six weeks for an X-ray or scan, it found. Progress in reducing waiting times appears to have stalled, with the total elective care waiting list standing at 7.4m clinical pathways, the report says about 220,000 fewer than when Labour took power in July 2024."

Improvements in providing faster tests and treatment have stalled and far more patients than promised still wait more than 18 weeks for non-urgent hospital care, sometimes over a year, and more than six weeks for scans. The total elective care waiting list stands at 7.4 million clinical pathways, about 220,000 fewer than in July 2024. Keir Starmer and health secretary Wes Streeting ordered a costly, unplanned reorganisation of the NHS in England that could damage care and recalled the shambles of HS2. Ministers report some gains: more timely cancer diagnoses, quicker ambulance responses and 2,500 more GPs.

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