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News desk:
Every NHS hospital in England has been told to improve patient waiting times for planned treatment as the government has made hitting the 18-week target one of its key priorities for this parliament.
By the end of March 2026, the government wants to see, external at least 65% of patients waiting no longer than 18 weeks.
To get there, every NHS trust must either get to 60% or improve on its November 2024 figures by five percentage points – whichever is greater. That is just a stepping stone towards the ultimate goal of achieving 92% by July 2029.
