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NHS waiting lists fall by half a million, hit 18-week target

scienceMay 14, 202619113

NHS England says the national waiting list fell by about 515,000 in March to 7.11 million, and the 18-week referral-to-treatment target has been met. The March drop brings the list down 515,000 since July 2024 and by 312,000 between January and March 2026, the largest year-on-year reduction in 16 years. Health Secretary Wes Streeting welcomed the milestone, while ministers and NHS leaders warned that sustaining improvement will be difficult given ongoing workforce and capacity pressures.

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