NHS Waiting List Progress: Has Your Hospital Improved Treatment Times?

NHS tracker - Has your hospital made progress on treatment waits? Daniel Wainwright BBC Verify senior data journalist It’s been a year since the government set new waiting list targets for NHS hospitals in England. They were required to ensure by March 2026 that a higher percentage of patients were waiting less than 18 weeks between GP referral and the start of elective treatment. BBC Verify has been tracking progress every month since, and overall, progress has been made. The waiting list stands at a still very large 7.3 million procedures but that’s the lowest it’s been since early 2023. However, the picture varies from hospital to hospital. Our analysis found 31 hospital trusts had a lower percentage of patients waiting less than 18 weeks than a year ago - in other words, their waiting times have worsened. Reasons vary, from staffing shortages, doctor strikes and problems with IT systems. However, the majority of trusts, 98 in our analysis, have seen improvement. As of November 2025, just under 62% of patients across England had been waiting less than 18 weeks. By March, the government and NHS want this to be 65%. But even that is a stepping stone towards the long-established target that 92% of patients should wait no more than 18 weeks for their treatment - a target that hasn’t been met for a decade. BBC Verify is tracking the progress of individual trusts and you can see how your local hospital is doing here. Kyiv without power after another night of strikes Jake Horton BBC Verify journalist Parts of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv are without electricity, heating and water following reports of overnight Russian attacks. The city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said missile and drone strikes have left more than 5,600 multi-storey buildings without heating in Kyiv, where temperatures dropped to around -10C (14F) overnight. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of deliberately exploiting the harsh winter conditions as part of its war strategy. Zelensky declared an energy emergency last week, following a series of Russian attacks on the country’s infrastructure. Russian attacks on Kyiv have left thousands of homes without regular power, heating or running water in recent weeks. These attacks haven’t been limited to the capital. Ukrainian officials said earlier this month that more than one million people in the country’s south-east spent many hours without heating and water as a result of strikes. Ukraine has also hit a number of oil refineries in Russia as part of its own war effort which, in some cases, have caused temporary blackouts. Satellite images show devastation after deadly wildfires in Chile Benedict Garman BBC Verify senior journalist Satellite photos captured yesterday by Vantor show the extensive damage caused by wildfires in central and southern Chile, which have killed at least 19 people. Chile’s President Gabriel Boric has declared a state of catastrophe. More than 35,000 hectares (135 sq miles) have been burnt so far across the regions of Biobío and Ñuble. The two images below show the port town of Lirquen, north of Concepción, where hundreds of houses have been destroyed. Videos and photos show residents there picking through the wreckage of their former homes. Chilean officials say at least 50,000 people have been displaced as a result of the fires. Welcome to BBC Verify Live Rob Corp BBC Verify Live editor BBC Verify has received satellite imagery showing the impact on wildfires in two regions of southern Chile that have killed at least 19 people and displaced more than 50,000. By comparing pictures taken before and after the fires started we can get a good idea of the scale of the wildfires and where they have spread. Another night of Russian drone and missile strikes has left parts of the Ukrainian capital without power, heating and water, according to Kyiv’s mayor. As well as the attacks on Kyiv we’re also looking into reports that Odesa and Vinnytsia regions were also struck overnight. We’ve been working with the BBC’s health team to see what NHS data tells us about the impact of the government’s plan to tackle waiting lists in England. You can read more about their findings here. BBC Verify is always keen to hear from you - if you’ve seen a claim being made or a picture being shared that doesn’t look right do get in touch with us via this link.