Undoubtedly the greatest topic linked to the NHS in the UK at present is backlogs. Earlier this year, there were signs of promise. Data at the end of April reported that waiting lists had dropped from 7.42 million in March to 7.39 million. However, with rises in waiting lists over the past three months indicating the government is not on track to meet its 92% target, Shaun, Director of Services here at EHG Insourcing, asks do NHS Waiting Lists remain a governmental priority?
Shaun Winsall, Director of Services
With NHS backlogs rising over the past three months, the UK government has noticeably scaled back its commentary on an issue it once spoke about so frequently. Setting itself a target of treating 65% of patients within 18 weeks by March 2026 and 92% by March 2029 now seems to be slipping further away from its control. Having made meeting this target one of the key missions is ambitious; it has been nine years since the NHS met its target of 92% of patients being seen within 18 weeks. Back in June it was just below 60%.
By September, the NHS was struggling once again to tackle the backlog, with numbers rising further. In July, 7.4million planned procedures were waiting to be carried out, up 34,000 from June and the highest since March.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, claims to be “putting the NHS on the road to recovery” but the statistics aren’t currently reflecting this.
Whilst an obvious factor, funding cuts are not the only influencing components of the momentous pressures the NHS and its staff are under. Senior cancer doctors have warned that the excessive bureaucratic measures means that some patients in England cannot access the latest treatments. The Royal College of Physicians stated the situation is leading to an “unacceptable postcode lottery” (Royal College of Physicians via BBC, September 2025). It will therefore be interesting to see what the government includes in its much-awaited cancer strategy for England later this year.
The causes are nuanced. However, I have been speaking directly to our client base, across several trusts. One of our clients reported a 40% year on year increase in referrals within their speciality over the last four years, compared to a previous growth rate of just 8%. That level of demand simply isn’t sustainable as it stands.
As waiting lists continue to rise, this month now marks the third in a row. Experts warn the key priority is at risk, but we question whether it even remains a priority. Their proposal was bold, the target, which has not been hit for around a decade, was ambitious and far from the reality of 61%. With rises in the NHS backlogs over the past three months, government rhetoric has dwindled on the subject significantly, after previously loudly announcing the former successes.
The pressure though falls on those on the NHS frontlines. Prof Peter Friend, of the Royal College of Surgeons of England explored the impact on NHS staff and patients, stating “[s]urgeons are ready to do more but are held back by critical resource issues – a lack of operating time, staff vacancies and equipment. Patients deserve better.” (BBC, 2025)
Recent conversations with our client base tell a clear story. One of mounting pressure and diminishing support. Reports from trusts across England highlight staff being stretched to breaking point as recruitment freezes continue, even in cases where posts are left vacant due to natural attrition. Headcount reductions leaving teams exposed, and in some areas, funding for waiting list initiatives is being withheld unless patient safety is deemed to be at risk.
The pattern suggests a system that is quietly thinning out its workforce while demand continues to rise.
So, is it still relevant to say with all certainty that the NHS really is still a priority for this Government?
