In March, 65.3% of patients were waiting 18-weeks, as the waiting list fell by over 312,000 last year, the largest year-on-year reduction in 16 years.
Health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting said: ‘Our plan for the NHS is working. This is the biggest cut in waiting lists in a single month in 17 years. It means we are right on track to deliver the fastest reduction in waiting times in the history of the NHS.
‘That is thanks to the Government's investment, modernisation, and the remarkable efforts of staff right across the country. Lots done, lots more to do.'
The improvement in performance by 6.4% since July 2024 means approaching half a million (450,000) fewer people were waiting over 18 weeks for NHS treatment in March this year.
The NHS also recorded its best year on record for elective care, with more than half a million (506k) more people starting treatment or completing care compared with last year, taking the total to over 18.6m in the last 12 months.
The overall waiting list fell to 7.11m, the lowest in three and half years and down by over half a million (515,000) since July 2024.
The number of patients facing the longest waits for NHS treatment is also at its lowest for six years (since July 20). The number people waiting more than a year has dropped by almost half (48%) in the last 12-months and by over 69% (208,000) from the start of July 2024.
NHS chief executive Sir Jim Mackey said: ‘This is a huge moment for the NHS. Hitting our targets for the first time in years hasn't happened by accident – it's been down to an absolutely enormous effort from NHS staff up and down the country.
‘Today's achievement goes beyond a set of remarkable statistics – it shows that we're making real inroads on the things that matter to our patients and communities.
‘That our staff have been able to achieve this in a year that's seen the busiest NHS winter on record, that's been interrupted though industrial action and that's since the biggest shake-up of the NHS in its history makes today's achievement all the more extraordinary.'
Reaction
Healthcare leaders welcomed the interim 18-week achievement but warned the NHS was a long way off from meeting its target of 92% by March 2029.
Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of The King's Fund, said the £120m funnelled into meeting the elective target since January may come at a high price, warning this rate of additional funding will be hard to sustain in the current economic climate.
Woolnough said the Government had reduced over 18 week waits by 460,000 but will need an additional 1.9m on current trends.
Tim Mitchell, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said: ‘There is still a long way to go to reach the constitutional standard of 92% by March 2029. This is the moment for the Government to double down on the progress driven by staff through reform by backing it with urgent capital investment to expand surgical capacity - without it, that target risks slipping beyond reach.'
Tim Gardner, deputy director of policy at The Health Foundation, said four in 10 trusts had not met the interim target, adding ‘further targeted support will be needed to ensure an equitable recovery'.
Nuffield Trust fellow Bea Taylor said: ‘It's hard to feel confident that the NHS will be able to sustain this level of progress on waiting times over the coming years to meet the Government's headline target of 92% of patients seen within 18 weeks. The NHS is riding on the belief that it can build on the success of recent improvements, but the balance between referrals and treatment over the last year shows that huge waves of patients are flowing onto waiting lists each month, making it difficult for the NHS to work fast enough to keep up.'
Director of policy at The NHS Alliance, Dr Layla McCay, said: ‘It's great to see progress. Health leaders want to go further, faster, but it's a very challenging environment.'
