Private healthcare providers delivered almost half a million more appointments, tests and operations for NHS patients than in the previous financial year.
Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) data showed 6.15 million appointments, tests and operations were delivered by independent providers for NHS patients between September 2024 and August 2025.
These 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.
The department said that using spare capacity in the private sector was central to the government’s goal that 92% of patients in England should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment.
Cutting wait times
The partnership with the independent sector strengthens the commitment set out in the 10 Year Health Plan to boost patients right to choose where they are treated, with research showing patients are cutting their wait for an NHS operation by up to five months by switching to a nearby hospital with shorter queues, DHSC said.
Fresh research from the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), alongside the Patients Association and Arthritis UK, found patients needed to travel on average just under 13 miles – typically under 30 minutes by car – to cut over two and a half months off their waiting time for treatment.
For certain 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 six weeks – a reduction of almost five months – by travelling from the areas with the longest waiting times to the shortest.
Data from the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN), released earlier this month, revealed there is a wide disparity in the distance patients have to travel to access private healthcare across the UK, with patients in Northern Ireland travelling the furthest, averaging 36.3 miles, while those in London had the shortest journeys at just 6.0 miles.
In July, official data revealed independent healthcare providers are carrying out a record number of NHS operations, with the highest ever number of NHS patients referred to the sector in a single month.
The NHS activity data shows that in April, independent providers were delivering a record 2,859 NHS operations per working day – including vital hip and knee replacements – an increase of over 60% compared to the same month in 2019.
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 two-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 five 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.”
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.”
‘Promoting patient choice’
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 at the Patients Association, added: “It’s encouraging to see more patients receiving the care they need sooner, with over six 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.”
