NHS routine waiting list hits nine-month high

The waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England has climbed to its highest level in nine months, according to official performance figures published by NHS England. The growing backlog is accompanied by thousands of patients receiving care in corridors or makeshift hospital spaces each day, highlighting mounting pressure across the health service.

Key Takeaways

• The waiting list for routine hospital treatment rose to an estimated 7.33 million treatments for 6.21 million patients by the end of July, marking the highest total since October 2025.
• Nearly 3,000 patients a day received care in hospital corridors or makeshift areas for at least 45 minutes, a practice officials and medical leaders have condemned.
• Emergency departments faced high summer demand, with A&E attendances reaching 2.34 million in August while four-hour performance targets continued to face strain.

According to data highlighted by the Press Association via the Irish News, the routine treatment backlog grew from 7.27 million treatments at the end of June to 7.33 million at the end of July. This followed earlier fluctuations in the backlog. Long waits for treatment have simultaneously expanded. An estimated 111,379 people had been waiting more than a year to start routine treatment by the end of July, up from 105,711 in June. Figures for those waiting past 65 weeks and 18 months also increased month-on-month. In contrast, AOL noted that the overall waiting list had fallen previously in June after rising for two months, while The Independent and LBC reported that waiting lists had risen in April after a fall in March.

Media additions

Parallel to the waiting lists, official data showed that nearly 3,000 patients every day were cared for in hospital corridors or makeshift treatment areas. NHS England defines corridor care as any treatment or waiting period that does not take place in a clinically appropriate and safe setting. Such settings must provide basic patient dignity, including access to food, water, and toilets, alongside appropriate lighting and noise levels. Reporting indicated that these figures cover individuals waiting for assessment, admission, or transfer in A&E departments as well as patients on hospital wards treated outside designated bed spaces.

Medical experts and nursing leaders have expressed concern over the normalization of corridor care. Siva Anandaciva, director of policy, events and partnerships at the King's Fund, stated via The Independent that the published data confirms the scale of a practice that should never have been normalized. Royal College of Nursing general secretary Professor Nicola Ranger described the figures as an alarming indictment of falling care standards. Meanwhile, Aol highlighted comments from Nuffield Trust deputy director of research Sarah Scobie, who pointed out that corridor care has even affected children waiting for proper ward beds.

Emergency departments experienced pressure over the summer months, driven by heatwaves and high demand. A&E attendances across June, July, and August reached record levels. Ambulance response times also felt the strain. The average response time for life-threatening Category 1 calls was seven minutes and 56 seconds in August, remaining above the target. Emergency calls concerning heart attacks, strokes, and sepsis averaged 28 minutes and 52 seconds, according to the Irish News.

Health officials have outlined plans to address the situation. NHS national medical director Professor Francesca Swords emphasized that corridor care is totally unacceptable and noted that a seven-point plan is being implemented to eradicate the practice, alongside targeted support for trusts facing the steepest challenges. Health Secretary James Murray stated via The Independent that the Government is deploying expert teams to help struggling trusts turn performance around, while acknowledging that eliminating corridor care for good will take time and varied solutions.

What happens next depends heavily on how the health service manages impending seasonal pressures. With autumn and winter approaching, periods traditionally marked by rising hospital admissions due to seasonal viruses, health leaders face scrutiny over whether improvement plans can curb the expanding routine backlog and prevent emergency departments from relying on makeshift treatment areas.