England’s NHS waiting list rises as winter pressures build

An estimated 7.37 million routine hospital treatments were pending in England at the end of August 2026, involving 6.24 million patients. The waiting list rose for a second consecutive month, according to figures reported by the BBC. It grew despite a record 4.7 million planned treatments, procedures and appointments taking place across June, July and August. [1]

The BBC reports that emergency-department figures also worsened in September: the share of patients seen within four hours fell to 74.4%, from 75.0% in August. In the same month, 50,582 people waited more than 12 hours between a decision to admit them and their admission to hospital, up from 44,951 the previous month. The 12-hour measure in the report starts at the decision to admit, not when a patient arrives at A&E. [1]

Professor Frankie Swords, NHS England’s national medical director, warned that staff were already seeing more A&E patients with flu and other respiratory viruses than usual for the time of year. The Health Foundation says progress on cutting waiting times has stalled over the past year because referrals have risen much faster than the number of patients treated. [1]

According to the BBC, the government aims to treat 92% of patients within 18 weeks by 2029. The NHS Alliance, which represents hospitals, predicts it will miss that target. The government says it remains achievable, pointing to investment in buildings and equipment and disruption from resident-doctor strikes that have since been settled. [1]