Overview

• The waiting list for planned treatments dropped to 7.39 million treatments relating to 6.23 million patients at the end of April, the lowest level since March 2023.
• The number of people waiting more than 52 weeks for routine hospital treatment rose to 190,068 in April, and those waiting over 18 months increased to 1,361.
• Accident and emergency performance edged up with 75.4% of patients seen within four hours in May, compared with 74.8% in April.
• Only 76.7% of patients urgently referred for suspected cancer were diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days in April, below the 80% NHS target.
• Ambulance crews took an average of seven minutes and 51 seconds to reach life-threatening emergencies in May, exceeding the seven-minute standard.