Surgery: Standards
Commons · Question 111651 · Tabled 9 Feb 2026 · Department of Health and Social Care · Official record
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Question
Asked by Bob Blackman
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made to meet the 18-week treatment target next month as set out in the Elective Reform Plan.
Answer
Answered by Karin Smyth, 13 Feb 2026
NHS England’s Operational Planning Guidance for 2025/26 set a target that, by the end of March 2026, 65% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks. To achieve this, we expect the size of the total waiting list to reduce and have already made significant pr...