NHS waiting list down after three months of rises

The NHS waiting list in England has fallen after three consecutive months of growth.

At the end of September it stood at 7.39 million, down from 7.41 million a month earlier.

Of those waiting, 61.8% of patients waited less than 18 weeks.

That's the best figure in more than two years, but well below the 92% target the government promised it would achieve by the end of parliament.

The NHS also released data showing more than a million people sought flu jabs last week after the jab 'SOS' was announced last week amid an early rise in flu cases this year.

Flu incidence has tripled than it was at this stage last winter.

Some 14.4 million people have been vaccinated, NHS England said, slightly more than were vaccinated at this stage last year.

People over 65, people with certain medical conditions, pregnant women and children under 16 are eligible for a flu jab on the NHS.

The rise in waiting lists over the summer (before falling last month) comes after the waiting list has steadily fallen since Labor came to power.

The waitlist peaked at 7.7 million in September 2023.

NHS England medical director Professor Meghana Pandit said the reduction in waiting lists was “fantastic news”.

But she said it looked like it would be a difficult winter and the NHS would be stretched to its limits.

“The flu peaks early and looks set to last a long time, with strikes starting on Friday.”

The five-day strike by resident doctors (new name for junior doctors) will begin on Friday at 07:00 GST.

It is the 13th strike in the long-running dispute between the British Medical Association and comes after talks between the doctors' union and the government broke down last week.

Health Minister Wes Streeting called the BMA's actions “morally reprehensible”.

On reducing the waiting list, Streeting said the investment being made is paying off.

He added: “There is a long way to go, but the NHS is now on the road to recovery.”

Tim Gardner, from the Health Foundation thinktank, said while the reduction in waiting lists was welcome, there had been an increase in long waiting times in emergency departments.

“These figures represent a challenging outlook for the NHS, especially ahead of what NHS chiefs have warned is likely to be one of the toughest winters the health service has faced,” he added.