Written Question·Department of Health and Social Care·UIN 114370

Health Services: Waiting Lists

Tabled: 20 February 2026
Answered: 2 March 2026

Question

Mr Lee Dillon

Liberal DemocratNewbury

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress is being made towards meeting the 18-week referral-to-treatment standard, as set out in the Elective Recovery Plan.

Answer

Karin Smyth
NHS England’s Operational Planning Guidance for 2025/26 set a target that, by the end of March 2026, 65% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks.To achieve this, we expect the size of the total waiting list to reduce and have already made significant pro...

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