Hospital Waiting Times in England Drop to Lowest Level in Over Two Years
The number of people awaiting routine hospital treatment in England has decreased for the second consecutive month, reaching the lowest level in more than two years, according to data.
At the end of May, an estimated 7.36 million treatments were pending, involving just under 6.23 million patients—a slight decrease from 7.39 million treatments and just over 6.23 million patients in April.
These figures are the lowest since March 2023 for treatments and April 2023 for patients. The waiting list had previously peaked in September 2023, with 7.77 million treatments and 6.50 million patients.
Official statistics show that in May, the overall waiting list reduced by nearly 30,000 to 7.36 million—the smallest backlog since March 2023—and 60.9% of patients waited 18 weeks or less for planned care, the highest proportion since July 2022.
Healthcare professionals performed an average of 75,009 planned treatments per working day in May, a record high, totaling 1.5 million for the month—an increase from 1.45 million in April and higher than pre-pandemic levels (1,437,914 in May 2019).
May also saw a record number of diagnostic tests, with 2.5 million conducted, a 23% rise compared to pre-pandemic figures (1,996,365 in May 2019), partly due to community-based testing centers.
Emergency departments experienced their busiest June on record, with daily attendances averaging over 78,300. Despite heat-related health alerts affecting 14 days last month—and another expected soon—the proportion of patients seen within four hours (75.5%) was the highest since August 2024 and the best June performance since 2021.
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Former Tory Chair Criticizes Party’s Legacy After Joining Reform UK
Jake Berry, a former Conservative minister, has switched allegiance to Reform UK, a move notable given his previous role as party chairman during Liz Truss's brief premiership.
In an article, Berry condemned the last Conservative government, claiming it contributed to the country's decline. He wrote:
"Britain is broken. Crime is rampant, and migration is unmanaged. Taxes have soared, and many feel this is no longer the nation they once knew—they’re right. The blame lies not just with Labour but with Conservative administrations I was part of."
"The tax system now discourages effort and ambition. Record numbers of skilled individuals are leaving, seeing no future here, while welfare policies incentivize inactivity. This must change."
His departure adds to growing discontent within the Conservative ranks as Reform UK seeks to attract disillusioned voters.
