The NHS has delivered more than 3.1 million additional appointments since July 2024 and hit the ambitious faster diagnosis standard for cancer, new figures show today.
Monthly performance data shows that there were more than 3.1 million additional appointments delivered in the seven months from July 2024 (3,106,424 elective operations, outpatient appointments and diagnostic tests up until January 2025) meaning that the overall waiting list fell for the sixth month in a row in February.
The backlog dropped to 7.4 million with a reduction of 26,000 compared to the previous month. The estimated number of patients waiting in February stands at 6.24 million.
Thanks to the efforts of NHS staff, more than four fifths (80.2%) of people received the all clear or a definitive cancer diagnosis within four weeks – the highest proportion on record.
This meant more than 200,000 people were diagnosed or given the all clear for cancer in February within 28 days (203,371) – 8,000 more than the previous month. (195,366)
As part of the ambitious elective care reform plan published earlier this year, the NHS is aiming to return to the constitutional standard of treating 92% of patients within 18 weeks by March 2029.
NHS staff continue to make progress against the standard, with the number of people waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment the lowest figure in two years (3,020,973 compared to 2,994,638 in February 2023) and 59.2% of patients treated within 18 weeks in February.
Around 1.46 million treatments were delivered by staff in February, 5% higher than the same period pre-pandemic (1.39 million in February 2020).
Waits of over a year fell for the ninth month in a row, dropping by more than 111,000 since last year (304,919 in February 2024) to 193,516 in February 2025, making up just 2.6% of the overall waiting list – the lowest percentage since August 2020 (2.6%).
Separate monthly data out today found that despite it being the busiest March ever in A&E – with more than 77,000 A&E attendances each day – waits of 4 hours in A&E and all categories of ambulance response times were improved on both the month and year before, as hardworking staff continue to bring down waits for urgent and emergency care.
There were 1.8 million (1,791,316) A&E attendances admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours last month – the highest number in six years (since 1,797,984 in April 2019) and three quarters of all patients (75%), up from both the month (73.4%) and the year previous (74.3%).
Category 1 ambulance response times were the fastest in almost four years (7:52) – since May 2021 (7:25) – despite services facing the busiest March ever for ambulance incidents (772,322 incidents compared to 765,396 in March 2021)
The average response for category 2 ambulance calls (28:34) was almost 3 minutes quicker than the month previous (31:22) and more than 5 minutes quicker than the same month last year (33:51).
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director said: “Today’s figures are yet more evidence of signs of genuine progress across a range of services and thanks to the ambitious elective reform plan, the NHS and the government are determined to continue on this trajectory for the benefit of patients.
“It is fantastic to see that a record proportion of people have received vital results from cancer checks within the four-week standard, despite more people continuing to come forward, helping to give people clarity with that all-important diagnosis so they can plan next steps in terms of treatment or the relief of the all clear.
“Despite services facing the busiest March ever in A&E and for ambulance incidents, staff continue to bring down waits for urgent and emergency care, but we know there is much more to do to reduce waits and delays across all NHS services.
“We continue to ask anyone noticing worrying symptoms or in need of care to come forward for all important checks.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “We made a promise to the British public that we would create 2 million more appointments for patients in our first year – today we’ve already dwarfed this target and have reached 3.1 million additional appointments in the first 6 months.
“Today’s data also shows we have cut the waiting list for the sixth month in a row, by a total 219,000 since July, with fewer patients waiting over 18 weeks which can have significant benefits on their health outcomes.
“Through this government’s Plan for Change, we are starting to see a real difference. Fixing our NHS is a long road and this is just the start – but we’re doing the work and delivering for patients.”
