NHS waiting list hits 2026 high

The waiting list bottomed out in January this year at 7.09m, with August's figures representing the highest number of those waiting since October 2025. The figure is a 300,000 rise from July 2026's waiting list, which saw 7.33m awaiting treatment. The number of patients within the UK Government's 18-week target time was just over 4.8m, making up 65.2% of the overall list. Dawn Prescott, head of healthcare proposition, The Exeter, said: "Today's figures highlight both the progress being made and the ongoing focus needed to reduce NHS waiting times. "While staff across the health ...