The government says it has fulfilled a key election pledge to provide two million extra NHS appointments in England within its first year. Officials report that between July and November last year, nearly 2.2 million more elective care appointments took place compared to the same period in 2023, despite doctors’ strikes limiting availability. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called it a "milestone" in efforts to restore the NHS, while NHS England chief Amanda Pritchard acknowledged more work was needed to cut delays.
Expanding NHS services was central to Labour’s manifesto, with additional evening and weekend sessions helping meet the target. Elective care includes planned procedures such as diagnostic tests, scans, surgeries, and cancer care. Government data shows 31.3 million procedures, tests, and consultations took place between July and November 2024, compared to 29.1 million a year earlier, when strikes disrupted services. Ministers claim they achieved the target seven months early, though further scrutiny will follow in July 2025.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting insists the NHS is "on the road to recovery," pointing to a drop in waiting lists by 160,000 since Labour took office. However, A&E services continue to struggle, with only 73% of patients seen within four hours in January. Over 160,000 faced long delays, many waiting on chairs or trolleys.
Despite progress, concerns remain about inefficiencies in the NHS. A King’s Fund report highlights systemic issues, with one in five surveyed receiving appointment letters late and nearly a quarter unsure who to contact while waiting for care. Liberal Democrat health spokeswoman Helen Morgan warned that without urgent social care reform, hospitals will remain overwhelmed, and patients will continue to suffer long delays.
