NHS waiting lists hit lowest level since pandemic — but staff sound alarm

Latest figures show a sharp drop, yet doctors warn the gains are 'paper-thin' without urgent investment.

For the first time since 2020, the total number of patients waiting for elective NHS treatment in England has dropped below six million, according to figures released this morning by NHS Digital.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting hailed the milestone as 'proof that the plan is working', pointing to a 14% rise in completed procedures over the past quarter and a sharp fall in 65-week waits.

What the numbers really show

But frontline clinicians paint a far more complicated picture. Several trusts have warned that the improvement masks an exhausted workforce, with vacancy rates in critical specialties such as anaesthetics still hovering above 12%.

Internal documents seen by Arcadia Vibe show that at least four major trusts have privately briefed ministers that the current pace of catch-up cannot be sustained beyond the autumn without additional funding.