Institute for Fiscal Studies: The past and future of NHS waiting lists in England (29 February 2024)

Summary

This Institute for Fiscal Studies briefing, outlines what has happened to NHS waiting lists (in England, given that health is a devolved responsibility) over the last 17 years – the period for which consistent data are available – and present new scenarios of what could happen to waiting lists over the years to come. It focuses on the elective waiting list – the list of people waiting for pre-planned hospital treatment and outpatient appointments. This is what most people mean when they talk about NHS waiting lists, but it also considers a range of other NHS waiting lists and waiting times. Alongside this report, IFD has updated their interactive online tool that allows you to produce waiting list scenarios under your own assumptions.