Independent sector removes 1 million people from NHS waiting list

Independent healthcare providers are continuing to deliver record levels of care to NHS patients, and have so far removed more than 1 million patients from the NHS waiting list in 2024.

The latest quarterly analysis from the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN) on how many NHS patients are treated by independent providers has found that the sector is now carrying out almost 1 in 5 NHS operations – 15,000 every week.

Overall the independent sector is consistently delivering 10% of all NHS planned care. This equates to 101,000 patient care episodes per week in 2024 – an increase of almost one third since 2021 when the dataset was established.

The contribution of the sector to clearing the NHS backlog can also be seen most clearly in trauma and orthopaedic surgery and ophthalmology services. The latest data for August 2024 shows the independent sector now delivers over 1/4 (26.3%) of all NHS trauma and orthopaedics elective activity and almost one in four (24.4%) of all NHS ophthalmology activity – 26,000 and 22,000 patient episodes every week respectively.

The most recent NHS Referral To Treatment (RTT) data also shows that waiting times for NHS treatment continue to be shorter in the independent sector. Patients seen by independent providers had waited an average of just over 11 weeks – the shortest average wait recorded since the pandemic. This is compared with an average of 18 weeks for those seen by NHS providers.

With the new Government firmly committed to hitting NHS waiting time targets by the end of this Parliament, IHPN are calling for the NHS to make even greater use of the independent sector to further drive down the growing backlog of care. This includes ensuring all appointment slots made available by independent providers every month are used by the NHS – currently around one million slots every year which could be used for the benefit of NHS patients are not taken up. The sector is also proposing to invest £1 billion in new healthcare facilities including surgical and diagnostic hubs to help drive down NHS waiting lists.

All NHS planned care services delivered by the independent sector are paid at NHS prices and delivered to NHS patients free at the point of use, with 92% of independent acute hospitals rated good or outstanding by the CQC.

David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network, said:

“This latest data shows the independent sector has reached an important milestone in supporting the NHS recovery – removing more than one million patients from the waiting list so far in 2024 and enabling them to live the active and productive lives they deserve.

“This is a fantastic achievement and one that independent providers are keen to build on even further – including through investing in much needed new healthcare facilities so that NHS patients can get the care they need at a time when public resources are hugely stretched, as well as ensuring that existing capacity in the sector is fully utilised by the NHS.”