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Health Services: Waiting Lists

Asked by Neil CoyleLabourDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 19 November 2024UIN 901304

The question

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number of people on NHS waiting lists.

Answered by Karin Smyth

Patients are waiting too long to access the care they need, with the total waiting list standing at over 7.5 million. Last week we saw the welcome news that waiting lists have fallen. Since we ended the strikes, we have been ramping up delivery of the 2 million additional appointments that we committed to deliver (which is equivalent to 40,000 per week). The investment delivered by the Chancellor in last month’s Budget will be matched with the reform our NHS needs, to get patients treated faster.

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