NHS England · 11 May 2010 – 8 May 2015

NHS waiting list (incomplete treatment pathways) during the Coalition 2010–2015 government

April 2010 → April 2015 · 60 periods

↑ 29.6%+750,410 incomplete pathways

NHS waiting list (incomplete treatment pathways) rose by 29.6% over the period, from 2,534,885 incomplete pathways (April 2010, the level when the government took office) to 3,285,295 (April 2015, the last complete period before it left office).

Inherited level April 2010: 2,534,885
Level when it left April 2015: 3,285,295
method: latest complete period before start / before end

Changes during this period do not by themselves show what the government caused. Statistics reflect many influences, including earlier decisions, the economy and how the data is collected.

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestDashed line: change in coverage or methodShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Definition and caveats

The number of consultant-led referral-to-treatment pathways in England where the patient was still waiting to start treatment at the end of the month, including NHS England's estimates for trusts that did not submit that month. This is the figure usually called "the NHS waiting list".

Doesn’t measure: People: one patient can be on several pathways at once, so the number of people waiting is smaller — NHS England estimates the ratio separately. It also excludes diagnostics-only waits, mental health, and anything outside consultant-led elective care.