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 January 2024).
The total waiting list in January fell for the fifth month in a row by 35,000 from 7.46 million to 7.43 million, 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 4 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 4 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 5 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 Wes Streeting 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 2 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”.
