Three million on NHS England waiting lists have had no care since GP referral

Almost half of the 6 million people needing treatment from the NHS in England have had no further care at all since joining a hospital waiting list, new data reveals.

Previously unseen NHS England figures show that 2.99 million of the 6.23 million patients (48%) awaiting care have not had either their first appointment with a specialist or a diagnostic test since being referred by a GP.

The Patients Association described the situation as “an invisible waiting list crisis” that was “staggering” in scale, with millions living in limbo, anxious as their health deteriorates.

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Source: The Guardian, 1 August 2025