New NHS data exposes inequalities in elective care access 

National Voices analysis of waiting list figures shows disparities by ethnicity, deprivation, age, and sex at both national and regional level – and calls for urgent, targeted action to close the gap.  
 
National Voices, the leading coalition of health and care charities in England, has today responded to newly released data from the Waiting List Minimum Dataset (WLMDS), which reveals stark inequalities in access to elective care based on ethnicity, deprivation, age, and region. 

The WLMDS provides, for the first time, a demographic breakdown of who is waiting for NHS treatment and for how long. It shows that people from more deprived areas, Black and Mixed ethnic backgrounds, and working-age adults are consistently more likely to experience the longest waits for elective care – sometimes over a year. 

This release marks a vital step in delivering on the 10 Year Plan’s promise to centre patient experience and confront health inequalities. Sharing who is waiting – and for how long – helps shine a light on where the system is falling short, and what must change to build back public trust. 

Sharon Brennan, Director of Policy and External Affairs at National Voices, said: 
“This data confirms what people with long-term conditions, minoritised communities, and our member charities have been telling us for years: the elective backlog is not affecting everyone equally. 

“This isn’t just a waiting list – it’s a map of structural inequality. If we want to rebuild public trust in the NHS, we need to be transparent about who is being left behind and take urgent, practical steps to close the gap.” 

National Voices is calling for: 
1. Targeted support for those waiting longest, especially in the most deprived communities. 
2. Co-produced solutions with affected communities, including better transport offers, appointment flexibility, and culturally appropriate communications. 
3. Use of demographic data to drive accountability at system and trust level – including tracking equity as a core performance metric. 
4. Integration of voluntary and community sector expertise to reach and support those at highest risk of being forgotten in the backlog recovery. 
5. Engagement with local communities to better understand the experiences that underpin the quantitative data that can inform local areas on which practical steps can be taken to close the inequalities gap. 
  

On deprivation, analysis by National Voices shows:

· People in the poorest communities wait longer for care. In regions like the South West, South East and East of England, those in the most deprived areas are up to 7 percentage points less likely to be treated within 18 weeks than their wealthier neighbours. 

· Deprivation still shapes access. Nationally, the poorest tenth of the population (IMD 1) are more likely to face year-long waits than the wealthiest (IMD 10), highlighting the persistence of postcode-based inequality in elective care. 

 On ethnicity, analysis by National Voices shows: 
· Black and Mixed patients are still waiting longer. Across England, people from Black and Mixed ethnic backgrounds face the longest waits for planned care – consistently falling behind other groups on access and outcomes. 
· Some groups are more likely to receive timely care. Indian and Chinese patients continue to be among the most likely to be treated within 18 weeks and the least likely to face year-long delays, underlining stark contrasts between communities’ experiences of elective care  
· Ethnic disparities persist across regions. In places like the East of England, access for Black communities is especially poor. Fewer than 54% of African patients and 56% of Caribbean patients are treated within 18 weeks – well below the national average. 
 
On age, analysis by National Voices shows: 
· Working-age adults are more likely to face long waits. Despite making up the largest group on the waiting list, people aged 19–64 are the most likely to wait over a year for planned care, suggesting this group is being under-prioritised in ways that could compound wider pressures on work, family life and long-term health. 
· Older people are more likely to receive timely treatment. Across England, adults aged 65 and over consistently see better average access to elective care than both children and working-age adults. 
· Regional differences affect all age groups. In the East of England, performance is lower than the national average for children, working-age adults and older people alike, underlining the need for localised solutions that reflect age-based as well as geographic inequality. 
 
On sex, analysis by National Voices shows: 
· Women both receive treatment quicker and wait longer. While women are slightly more likely than men to receive timely treatment, they also face a marginally higher risk of very long waits – suggesting that services used predominantly by women may be slipping through the cracks of the system. 
· Prioritisation patterns may reflect systemic gaps. Emerging trends raise questions about how elective care is prioritised – particularly for conditions that disproportionately affect women, such as chronic pain, gynaecological health or menopause-related care. Without targeted action, these gaps risk compounding existing gender inequalities. 
  
Notes to editors 
1. National Voices’ analysis is based on the WLMDS dataset published July 2025 by NHS England, covering trends from September 2021 to June 2025. 
2. The full dataset includes demographic breakdowns by age, sex, ethnicity, deprivation, treatment function, and region. 
3. National Voices is the leading coalition of health and care charities in England, working to end unequal access, shift the measures of success, and transfer power to people and communities. 
4. Read National Voices’ response to the 10 Year Plan here.