NHS England launches interactive dashboard for referral waiting times

NHS England introduced an interactive dashboard on 20 November 2025, providing a new digital interface for the public to monitor consultant-led Referral to Treatment (RTT) statistics. This tool, which offers an alternative to traditional data releases that began in March 2007, is refreshed immediately following the publication of each month’s performance figures. The initiative serves as part of an effort to improve transparency across the health service, which has been managing extensive backlogs in elective care.

The scale of the current waiting list has become a primary metric for evaluating the state of the Health service. Analysis from the Nuffield Trust indicates that the number of people awaiting treatment grew steadily for a decade prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, reaching 4.5 million cases by February 2020. That figure shifted during the pandemic, falling briefly to 3.9 million in May 2020 before beginning a rapid increase. The list peaked at 7.75 million in August 2023, followed by a slow decline to 7.12 million by February 2026.

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Operational Targets and Performance

Nhs England has established specific planning goals to manage these backlogs. Current guidance outlines an interim target of 65% of patients meeting the 18-week standard for elective treatment by March 2026, with an objective to increase that figure to 70% by March 2027. Despite these efforts, performance remains below the 92% constitutional standard the government has pledged to restore by March 2029.

Recent data highlights challenges across different clinical specialties. In January 2026, no specialty reached the 92% threshold for patients seen within 18 weeks. Plastic surgery, oral surgery, and ear, nose and throat services recorded the lowest proportions of patients meeting this timeframe, while elderly medicine and mental health services showed higher performance levels.

Emergency care performance also remains under pressure. In May 2026, 75.7% of people attending A&E were admitted, transferred, or discharged within four hours, a decrease from 76.9% in the previous month. This remains below the 78% operational target set for the period between June 2025 and May 2026. Additionally, the number of patients waiting over 12 hours for an emergency admission reached 50,000 in May 2026.

Patient Rights and Navigation

Individual patients possess legal rights regarding non-urgent, consultant-led treatment. Under NHS guidance, patients have the right to be seen within maximum waiting times. If these times are likely to be exceeded, patients are entitled to request that their care be moved to a different provider. These rights generally apply to services commissioned by the NHS in England, though they exclude maternity services, local authority-commissioned public health services, and certain mental health services.

To assist in navigating these options, the My Planned Care website allows patients to compare waiting times across different hospitals. When referrals occur, patients are typically able to book their first outpatient appointment at a hospital or clinic of their choice via the NHS e-Referral Service.

Data Transparency and System Capacity

The British Medical Association (Bma) has expressed concerns regarding the accuracy of reporting, particularly regarding "corridor care." In May 2026, NHS England began publishing data on this issue, defined as a patient spending at least 45 minutes in a clinically inappropriate area of an emergency department or general and acute ward. During that month, there were an average of 2,241 instances of corridor care in emergency departments per day, and 669 instances in hospitals outside of emergency departments.

The BMA suggests these figures likely underestimate the scale of the issue, citing limitations in data collection and the lack of historical comparisons. Chronic workforce shortages and persistent bed occupancy rates, which have remained above 90% since September 2021, continue to impact patient flow and the service's ability to reduce waiting lists. Debates persist regarding the long-term use of private sector capacity to supplement NHS services, as both sectors rely on a shared pool of medical professionals.

Performance Measure	Operational Target	Recent Context
Elective 18-week standard	65% (by March 2026)	62.5% (February 2026)
Cancer (28-day FDS)	80%	77.6% (April 2026)
Cancer (62-day referral)	85%	70.0% (April 2026)
A&E 4-hour performance	78%	75.7% (May 2026)

As the service continues its recovery efforts, observers are monitoring progress toward the March 2027 goal of 70% for elective treatment. NHS England maintains an archive of historical data, which remains available for comparison against current performance levels.