The NHS waiting list fell in September to 7.39 million (an estimated 6.24 million patients), a monthly reduction of 15,845 and roughly 230,000 fewer than in July 2024. The figures come as the service heads into what officials describe as its busiest winter yet, with planned industrial action and an early flu peak expected to increase demand.
So far this autumn the NHS has delivered 14,419,345 flu vaccinations, about 160,000 more than at the same point last year (14,253,063, week ending 10 November 2024). This winter’s planning began earlier than ever and has stress-tested services across three stages: preparation, staying ahead and response. The government has also committed an extra £1.1 billion to general practice this year, the largest funding increase in a decade, aimed at improving patient access to GPs.
Pressure on urgent services remains high. In October, A&E attendances reached 2.36 million, around 37,000 higher than October 2024 (more than 1,200 extra visits per day). Ambulance incidents rose to 806,441, nearly 50,000 more than the same month last year. Despite this strain, average ambulance response time for life-threatening emergencies, including strokes and heart attacks, improved by almost 10 minutes compared with October 2024, standing at 32 minutes 37 seconds.
The NHS is preparing for five days of junior doctor industrial action starting Friday. Patients are advised to attend planned appointments unless contacted to reschedule. Primary, urgent and emergency care services will remain available. For urgent but non-life-threatening problems during strikes, people should use NHS 111 online to be directed to the most appropriate care. For life-threatening emergencies, the public should call 999 or attend A&E as usual.
NHS national medical leadership described the drop in the waiting list as welcome but cautioned that staff will be stretched this winter. With flu arriving early and the recent record A&E demand, health leaders urged everyone eligible to get their flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines, to use NHS 111 for non-urgent needs and to call 999 or go to A&E for life-threatening emergencies.
Health and Social Care officials said that the combination of investment and modernisation is helping to reduce waiting times and treat patients sooner. They highlighted plans to cut waste and reinvest savings into frontline care and noted this is the first year in 15 that waiting lists have fallen, framing it as progress on recovery.
Diagnostic activity also rose: more than 2.5 million checks and tests (2,518,187) were carried out in September, about 148,008 more than in August. For the first time, NHS performance statistics now include data on individual emergency departments, paediatric emergency performance, and mental health waits in emergency departments over 24 hours, meeting commitments from the Urgent and Emergency Care plan.
Overall, while some key metrics are improving, the NHS faces a challenging winter with sustained high demand, planned industrial action and an early seasonal respiratory wave. Officials continue to urge vaccination, careful use of services and reliance on NHS 111 for non-emergency guidance to help manage pressure on urgent and emergency care.
