Recent data shows a significant reduction in NHS waiting lists, with a fall of 206,000 over the past year, largely attributed to a growing partnership between the NHS and the independent healthcare sector. More than 6 million tests and operations for NHS patients were delivered by independent providers during this period, almost 500,000 more than the previous year. The figures reveal that the private sector now undertakes an average of 19,000 surgical procedures and 100,000 outpatient appointments every week for NHS patients, a pivotal factor in easing pressure on NHS services and cutting waiting times.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting highlighted the government’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to healthcare, stating that efforts to speed treatment are grounded in the principle that health should not be determined by wealth. Streeting reinforced that this partnership is part of a broader strategy involving increased NHS capacity through new community diagnostic centres and extended operating hours, alongside the adoption of advanced technologies such as robotic surgery.

The government's focus on leveraging private sector capacity forms a core element of its Plan for Change, aiming to ensure that 92% of patients in England wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment. Independent healthcare providers have become crucial in delivering 10% of all NHS planned care, encompassing over 101,000 patient care episodes weekly, including specialties like trauma and orthopaedics, where the independent sector handles more than a quarter of NHS elective surgeries.

In January 2025, a new agreement was announced to further expand this partnership, targeting specialist services such as gynaecology and orthopaedics and providing an estimated additional one million NHS patient appointments annually. This initiative also aims to enhance access for patients in deprived areas, broadening care options and addressing backlog disparities.

The rising role of the independent sector is reinforced by data showing a 50% increase over four years in the number of NHS patients treated by private providers, who now perform nearly 20% of NHS operations. Independent care particularly supports areas with significant demand, easing bottlenecks in orthopaedics and ophthalmology services. This expansion is part of a strategic effort to tackle the backlog of care left by previous years and to provide faster, free-at-point-of-use treatment accessible to all.

Patient advocacy groups have welcomed these developments. Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive of Arthritis UK, noted the importance of timely care to prevent the deterioration of patients' conditions and reduce the complexity and cost of later surgeries. Similarly, Sarah Tilsed from The Patients Association emphasised the positive impact for patients whose treatments are accelerated, enabling them to move forward in their care without prolonged delays.

The government's ongoing commitment to increasing NHS capacity through independent sector collaboration, alongside infrastructure investments such as community diagnostic centres operated partly by private firms, underpins these improvements. The partnership represents a pragmatic response to longstanding NHS capacity challenges, aiming to ensure equitable and timely healthcare irrespective of patients’ financial means.

📌 Reference Map:

  • Paragraph 1 – [1] (Mirror), [4] (gov.uk)
  • Paragraph 2 – [1] (Mirror), [5] (gov.uk)
  • Paragraph 3 – [4] (gov.uk), [3] (IHPN)
  • Paragraph 4 – [2] (gov.uk)
  • Paragraph 5 – [6] (Healthcare Today), [7] (National Health Executive)
  • Paragraph 6 – [1] (Mirror)
  • Paragraph 7 – [5] (gov.uk), [1] (Mirror)

Source: Noah Wire Services