In a concerning development, a BBC analysis has revealed that nearly a quarter of hospitals in England have seen their waiting times worsen since the government’s plan to tackle the backlog was published a year ago. While progress is being made nationally, 31 hospital trusts have gone backward, and another 17 have made little progress out of the 129 services examined.
The hospitals struggling the most cite a variety of challenges, including staff shortages, doctor strikes, and problems with IT systems. Mary Waterhouse, a 72-year-old patient from Blackpool, is one of the many who have faced delays at a hospital where wait times are getting worse. She has been receiving treatment for arthritis at Blackpool Hospital NHS Trust since 2022 and was initially given steroid injections, but was referred back to the waiting list in late 2024 as her condition worsened. She had to wait eight months for an assessment, by which time her health had deteriorated so much that she was told she would need hip and knee replacements on both sides. Ultimately, she opted against treatment, saying, “My arthritis was too advanced – and it was too many operations. I have decided to live with the pain. I had long waits at every stage since first being referred. It’s like being in a never-ending queue.”
Deborah Alsina of Arthritis UK said Mary’s case was typical of the problems being faced by many thousands of people with arthritis, and that timely treatment can be “life-changing”, but there was not equitable access to care.
Blackpool Hospital acknowledged that wait times were too long, with chief executive Maggie Oldham saying, “We know we’re not where we need to be, but we’re continuing to work hard alongside our partners to address the issues we’re facing urgently.”
The government has made improving waiting times its key priority for the NHS and has pledged to get back to hitting the 18-week waiting time target in England by March 2029. However, this target has not been met since 2015, and an interim national target of 65% has been set for March 2026.
While progress is being made nationally, with the size of the waiting list falling to 7.31 million, the lowest level since February 2023, there are significant regional differences in performance. Some trusts, such as East Cheshire, have seen a significant drop in the percentage of patients waiting less than 18 weeks, while others, like Barnsley, have also experienced declines.
Rory Deighton of the NHS Confederation said the NHS is not a “homogenous body” and that tackling care backlogs will be more difficult in some parts of the country than others, particularly if there are entrenched challenges such as high levels of local deprivation.
Chris McCann, deputy chief executive at patient watchdog Healthwatch England, said the analysis showed there were “stark differences” for patients depending on where they live, and that those responsible for monitoring NHS trusts must pay close attention to organizations that are not only performing poorly but actually deteriorating.
The government has acknowledged that there is more work to be done, and has said that investment is being made in services such as new surgical hubs and evening and weekend scanning, which should help to improve the situation. However, the ongoing challenges faced by hospitals across England suggest that the road to recovery for the NHS may be a long and difficult one.