NHS England · 13 December 2019 – 5 July 2024

NHS waiting list (incomplete treatment pathways) during the Conservative 2019–2024 government

November 2019 → June 2024 · 55 periods

↑ 67.0%+3,057,492 incomplete pathways

NHS waiting list (incomplete treatment pathways) rose by 67.0% over the period, from 4,563,805 incomplete pathways (November 2019, the level when the government took office) to 7,621,297 (June 2024, the last complete period before it left office).

Inherited level November 2019: 4,563,805
Level when it left June 2024: 7,621,297
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.