Faster care for thousands thanks to NHS use of independent sector
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-25)

Hundreds of thousands of people are receiving faster care thanks to the government’s partnership with the private sector - free at the point of use.

- A total of 6.15 million appointments, tests and operations were delivered by independent providers for NHS patients this year
- The almost 500,000 increase on last year is helping to cut waiting times, free up NHS capacity and deliver national renewal through the government’s Plan for Change
- Patients able to cut waiting times by up to 5 months by switching to nearby hospital with shorter queues
Hundreds of thousands of people are receiving faster care thanks to the government’s partnership with the private sector, which is helping provide the treatment they need to get back on their feet - free at the point of use.

More than 6 million tests and operations for NHS patients were delivered by independent healthcare providers over the past year - almost 500,000 more than last year.

Independent healthcare providers delivered an average of 19,000 surgical procedures and 100,000 outpatient appointments every week this financial year - helping to treat more than 1.1 million people.

This is all part of the drive to use every resource available to stop patients suffering on the unacceptably long waiting lists this government inherited - which have now fallen by 206,000 over the past year.

Using spare capacity in the private sector is central to the government’s goal that 92% of patients in England should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment - which is fundamental to delivering the renewal this country needs.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

I’ll do everything I can to get NHS patients treated faster, free at the point of use.

This is a principled, progressive position, not just a pragmatic one. We’re not prepared to continue 2-tier healthcare, when those who can afford it get treated on time, and those who can’t are left behind. Wealth shouldn’t determine health.

This is just one reform which has helped deliver 5 million more appointments, grown NHS productivity and cut waiting lists by 200,000. We are also investing in growing the NHS capacity, opening up CDCs and operating theatres at evenings and weekends, and bringing in modern technology like robotic surgery. Through investment and relentless reform, we will make sure every patient is treated on time, not just those who can afford to pay.

The partnership with the private sector comes alongside the other government measures to cut waiting times and expand NHS capacity, including:
- opening more community diagnostic centres 7 days a week, 12 hours a day. CDCs have delivered over 8.7 million diagnostic tests since July 2024, closer to where people live, freeing up hospitals
- opening 22 new surgical hubs and expanding a further 12
- introducing a national programme of weekend high-intensity theatre (HIT) lists once a month in 50 hospitals to get through a week’s worth of planned operations in a day
- setting up NHS Online, which will deliver up to 8.5 million appointments in its first 3 years and allow patients to digitally connect to expert clinicians anywhere in England
The partnership with the independent sector strengthens the commitment set out in the 10 Year Health Plan (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future) to boost patients right to choose where they are treated, with new research showing patients are cutting their wait for an NHS operation by up to 5 months by switching to a nearby hospital with shorter queues.

Sir Jim Mackey, NHS Chief Executive, said:

The independent sector is playing a vital role in supporting our efforts to bring down waiting lists and ensure patients can get the NHS care they need faster.

Thanks to the ambition and hard work of NHS teams, we are seeing early signs of progress with waiting lists falling for the first time in years - but we are determined to go further and faster to improve patients’ experiences and this data shows clearly that maximising use of this capacity is an approach that is working for patients.

Research from the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), alongside the Patients Association and Arthritis UK, found patients need to travel on average just under 13 miles - typically under 30 minutes by car - to cut over 2 and a half months off their waiting time for treatment.

For particular treatments, patients can cut their wait even further. For example, in the South East, patients requiring general surgery, such as a hernia operation, could cut their wait from an average of 27 weeks to just 6 weeks - a reduction of almost 5 months - by travelling from the areas with the longest waiting times to the shortest.

David Hare, Chief Executive of IHPN, said:

These latest figures demonstrate just how important the independent sector is in providing much-needed NHS treatment - delivering around 10% of all NHS elective activity, and a record amount of appointments, tests and scans - all free at the point of use to patients.

In committing to better commissioning, patient choice and clear incentives, the recent NHS and independent sector partnership is having real benefits to patients, and by sticking to these principles the government and the independent sector can continue to drive down NHS waiting lists long into the future.

Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive of Arthritis UK, said:

Thousands of people with arthritis in need of life changing hip and knee replacements are waiting in unnecessary pain.

We know that the longer people wait, the more impact this has on their lives and causes a further deterioration in their joints which results in more complicated and expensive surgery and too often worse health outcomes.

Promoting patient choice, including being able to be treated by independent providers, is therefore an important tool which may ensure that people can get faster access to the treatment they so desperately need.

Sarah Tilsed, Head of Partnerships and Involvement, the Patients Association:

It’s encouraging to see more patients receiving the care they need sooner, with over 6 million NHS appointments, tests and operations delivered through the independent sector in the past year. Every patient who has their treatment brought forward no longer has their life on pause and is able to take the next step in their care journey.

As the NHS continues working to reduce the backlog, it’s vital that patients are supported with clear information and real choice about their options. Using all available capacity to deliver care sooner is essential, as long as patients are well informed of their right to choose and feel in control of their care journey.

Background information

All figures above relate to the period September 2024 to August 2025.

Independent healthcare providers deliver NHS care free at the point of use under contract to the NHS.