The NHS waiting list is now 230,000 lower than July last year, despite the health service facing record demand in A&E and ambulance services ahead of winter and looming industrial action.
Figures for September show the overall waiting list at 7.39 million (around 6.24 million patients), down 15,845 compared to August and 230,000 fewer than July 2024. This improvement comes as the NHS braces for five days of industrial action by resident doctors, starting tomorrow.
Key highlights from the data:
- Flu vaccination drive: 14.4 million vaccines delivered so far this autumn – 160,000 more than last year at the same point.
- Record A&E attendances: 2.36 million in October, up 37,000 year-on-year, equating to 1,200 extra attendances per day.
- Ambulance incidents: Nearly 50,000 more than October 2024, totalling 806,441.
- Faster emergency response times: Average time for Category 2 calls (strokes, heart attacks) improved by almost 10 minutes compared to last year.
- Diagnostic activity: Over 2.5 million checks and tests performed in September, up 148,000 from August.
The NHS has taken a new approach to winter planning, stress-testing services across three stages: preparation, staying ahead and response. Patients will also benefit from £1.1 billion extra investment in general practice, the biggest funding increase in a decade, improving GP access.
NHS National Medical Director, Professor Meghana Pandit, said:
“It is fantastic news that the health service managed to get the waiting list down in September, but there’s no doubt NHS staff will be approaching their limits this winter.
“Flu is peaking early and looking like it will be long lasting, while industrial action starting on Friday comes on the back of the busiest October in A&E in NHS history.
“Staff continue to work incredibly hard and, as ever, the public can play their part by getting flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) jabs if eligible.
“People should also use NHS 111 for non-urgent help, and call 999 or visit A&E for life-threatening emergencies – including during upcoming industrial action.”
Despite mounting pressures, the NHS is publishing more transparent performance data than ever before, including figures for individual emergency departments, paediatric emergency performance, and mental health delays over 24 hours – a commitment under the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan.
The public is advised to attend planned appointments during strikes unless contacted to reschedule, use NHS 111 online for urgent but non-life-threatening issues, and continue to call 999 or attend A&E for emergencies.
Image credit: iStock
