Over two million extra NHS appointments including for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endoscopy, and diagnostic tests delivered as government delivers first step to fix the NHS seven months early.
- Pledge to deliver over two million more elective care appointments hit early with over 100,000 more treatments, tests and scans for patients each week
- Waiting lists falls by almost 160,000 since government took office, as extra appointments delivered for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endoscopy, and diagnostic tests
- Comes as an additional £40 million set to be handed to trusts that deliver biggest improvements in cutting waiting lists
- Marks major step towards delivering Plan for Change milestone of hitting 18-week treatment target by the end of this Parliament
Over two million extra NHS appointments including for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endoscopy, and diagnostic tests delivered as government delivers first step to fix the NHS seven months early.
The Prime Minister has welcomed new figures published by NHS England [today] which reveal that between July and November last year, the NHS delivered almost 2.2 million more elective care appointments compared to the same period the previous year - delivering on the government's mission to fix the NHS as part of the Plan for Change.
The new data confirms the government reached the target seven months earlier than promised - with 100,000 more treatments, tests, and scans for patients each week, and more than half a million extra diagnostic tests delivered.
It follows figures published last week which showed the waiting list has been cut by almost 160,000 since the government took office, compared to a rise of almost 33,000 over the same period the previous year.
It means thousands of patients have received vital operations, scans, treatments, and consultations earlier than planned, helping them get back on with their lives and back to work sooner.
The extra 2 million appointments - delivered in part by extra evening and weekend working - are underpinned by the government's ambitious wider reform agenda, including our plan to expand opening hours at Community Diagnostic Centres across the country, 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
The government's mission to build an NHS fit for the future starts with tackling waiting lists, and hitting this milestone is a crucial step towards treating 92% of elective care patients within 18 weeks of referral by the end of this Parliament - delivering a core commitment in the Plan for Change.
While there is more to do, today's milestone also clears the path to bring forward wider NHS reforms through the government's Elective Reform Plan - announced by the Prime Minister last month - which will cut waiting times and improve patient experience by getting people seen more quickly, closer to home.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
"Two million extra NHS appointments and a waiting list on its way down - we're delivering on our promise to fix the NHS and make sure people get the care they need, when they need it.
"This isn't just about numbers. It's about the cancer patients who for too long were left wondering when they'll finally start getting their life-saving treatment. It's about the millions of people who've put their lives and livelihoods on hold - waiting in pain and uncertainty as they wait for a diagnosis.
"We said we'd turn this around and that's exactly what we're doing - this milestone is a shot in the arm for our plan to get the NHS back on its feet and cut waiting times.
"But we're not complacent and we know the job isn't done. We're determined to go further and faster to deliver more appointments, faster treatment, and a National Health Service that the British public deserve as part of our Plan for Change."
Since entering office, the government has hit the ground running to fix the broken health service we inherited by tackling the waiting lists, and building an NHS fit for the future.
This includes ending NHS strikes so staff are on the front line instead of the picket line this winter, vaccinating more people against flu than this time last year and putting immediate investment into our health system through £1.8 billion to fund extra elective care appointments as part of record £26 billion extra NHS funding secured at the October Budget.
Building on this, the government has announced an extra £40 million funding pot for trusts who make the biggest improvements in cutting waiting lists. The funding will be available for hospitals from next year to spend on capital projects such as new equipment or repairs to their estate which can deliver faster access to treatment and improve conditions for patients.
