Health Services: Waiting Lists
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients are currently waiting for elective treatment in England.
Answered by Karin Smyth
As of the end of April 2026, there were 7,218,231 patient pathways on the referral to treatment waiting list in England. This is 403,066 fewer than at the start of July 2024.
Of these, 6,108,384 were unique patients, and this is 276,951 fewer than at the start of July 2024.
Published, consultant-led referral to treatment waiting time data can be accessed at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2026-27/
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