Overview

• NHS England data show the elective waiting list reached 7.37 million treatments at the end of June, up slightly from 7.36 million in May.
• Quality Watch analysts report an average of about 244,500 unreported removals per month over the past two years, highlighting a gap between referrals and recorded exits.
• Department of Health and Social Care officials say roughly 85% of recent waiting-list reductions stem from increased NHS activity, with the remaining 15% due to validation removals.
• Patients facing the very longest waits continued to fall in June, with those waiting over 18 months dropping from 1,237 to 1,103.
• During July’s five-day resident doctor strike the NHS delivered about 11,071 more appointments than in the equivalent 2024 walkout and reduced staff absences, while A&E performance ticked up to 76.4% of patients seen within four hours.