All Waiting lists articles
See all articles with this subject.
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CommentSaying ‘no’ to referrals is the morally right thing to do
The NHS cannot meet rising elective demand within its current resources. Introducing referral thresholds is no longer a theoretical option, but a practical necessity to protect patients with the most serious conditions
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NewsNHSE accused of ‘admitting defeat’ on children’s waits
NHS England guidance suggesting adult services are the priority for bringing down long waits risks “failing” children, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has said.
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NewsNHSE rows back on controversial target
NHS England has rowed back on what was widely understood to be a new target for the proportion of patients it wanted “diverted” away from waiting lists, after accusations it was rationing care.
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NewsMapped: RTT waiting times
An interactive map of local NHS waits around England in February 2026, showing the pressures, with links to all the details by organisation and specialty.
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CommentYear-end elective ‘sprint’ off to a slow start
Sensible things are happening, but too slowly for 18 weeks recovery
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NewsNHS ‘a cat’s whisker’ from hitting headline targets
The NHS was within touching distance of its headline urgent and emergency care targets in March – falling just short of the key asks in A&E and ambulance wait times.
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CommentHow to ensure ‘advice and guidance’ works for patients
Transparency will be critical to evaluate whether increased use of advice and guidance leads to better experiences and outcomes, says William Pett
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Expert BriefingMackey: ‘Contentious’ model can drive ‘hockey stick’ recovery
Elective recovery and returning the NHS to meeting the 18-week standard by 2029 is the government’s main performance priority. The Recovery Watch newsletter tracks prospects and progress against this goal. By bureau chief James Illman.
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NewsNHS App caused ‘confusion and anxiety’ over waiting times
Waiting time information in the NHS App has been overhauled after causing “confusion, anxiety and mistrust” among patients, HSJ has learned.
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HSJ PartnersHow nurse-led endoscopy models are supporting NHS diagnostic recovery
Endoscopy services are central to the NHS diagnostic pathway. Procedures such as gastroscopy, colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy are critical for diagnosing gastrointestinal disease, detecting cancer early and monitoring long-term conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease. Yet like many diagnostic services, endoscopy has experienced significant pressure in recent years.
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CommentEnglish hospitals are outperforming those in Scotland and Wales
Despite ongoing pressures, England’s NHS is recovering faster than Wales and Scotland, with shorter waits and higher activity, despite similar funding increases
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CommentThe artificial slowdown in the use of private sector providers must end
NHS elective recovery targets risk being undermined by late-year activity caps and funding constraints, highlighting the need for stable, strategic partnerships with independent providers
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NewsMapped: RTT waiting times
An interactive map of local NHS waits around England in January 2026, showing the pressures, with links to all the details by organisation and specialty.
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CommentSmall improvement in RTT waiting times
The fig leaf of seasonal waiting list shrinkage is about to be ripped away
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CommentChanging the economics of outpatient care through technology
NHS productivity has stalled, not because digital investment failed, but because it was layered onto old ways of working. Ambient technology offers a chance to finally redesign them
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NewsNHSE expects to declare victory on number one target
NHS England bosses are predicting they will get close enough to hitting 65 per cent against the 18-week standard by March to declare victory against their main performance objective for this year, HSJ has learned.
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NewsNHSE bid to divert referrals falling well short of target
NHS England is set to fall “well short” of a key target to ramp up GPs’ use of “advice and guidance” from specialists – and the model is “unlikely to be the silver bullet ministers hoped for” to help cut waiting lists, experts have warned.
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NewsExclusive: £120m ‘sprint’ will drive last-ditch attempt to hit elective target
NHS England plans to spend around £120m on a “sprint” exercise in a bid to hit its main elective target for this year by March, HSJ can reveal.
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NewsNHSE warns against ‘resistance’ to huge expansion of private tests
NHS England is planning to significantly increase the use of the private sector for diagnostic services, which a senior figure warned was likely to be met with “resistance” from some in the NHS, HSJ has learned.
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NewsMapped: RTT waiting times
An interactive map of local NHS waits around England in December 2025, showing the pressures, with links to all the details by organisation and specialty.