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The number of NHS appointments, tests, and operations delivered by private hospitals and clinics has increased by almost 500,000 this year, now totalling 6.15 million. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said that using private sector capacity tackles a 'two-tier' system by cutting waiting times and ensuring prompt treatment for NHS patients in England. Private providers deliver approximately 10 per cent of elective NHS activity, treating over 1.1 million people with an average of 19,000 surgical procedures and 100,000 outpatient appointments weekly between August 2024 and September 2025. Utilising spare private sector capacity is key to the government’s target of ensuring 92 per cent of patients in England wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment. Other measures to reduce waiting lists include the use of community diagnostic centres and carrying out more surgical procedures during evenings and weekends.
