Signs of NHS recovery after gruelling winter

Responding to the latest NHS performance statistics, Tim Gardner, Assistant Director of Policy at the Health Foundation, said:

‘Today’s data show tentative signs of improvement across the health service after a gruelling winter, which should provide some relief for patients and staff.

‘January saw further progress in reducing waiting times for routine hospital care. The waiting list fell for the third consecutive month to 7.25 million, with a drop in the number of patients waiting more than 52 weeks to under 136,000. 

‘However, February saw continued severe pressures on urgent and emergency care. Response times for Category 2 emergency ambulance calls are better than last year, but may fall just short of the 30-minute interim target for 2025/26 in the NHS’s recovery plan. While there was a slight improvement in A&E waiting times, 1 in 10 patients attending major emergency departments waited longer than 12 hours so far in 2025/26. 

‘Recent Health Foundation polling shows that improving A&E waits are now tied with GP access as the public’s top priority for the NHS. While the government is making steady progress against its headline pledge to reduce routine hospital waits, the ongoing crisis in A&E highlights the risks of being too narrowly focused on one headline target.  

‘Achieving lasting improvements will require a concerted focus on addressing the root causes of delays, and a system-wide approach to recovery that prioritises investment, workforce resilience and long-term planning.’

Media contact

Nadine Sheikh-Sobeh
Nadine.sheikh-sobeh@health.org.uk
020 8152 8120