The government has consistently pledged to “hold the door wide open” to private providers, to help tackle the waiting lists, but usage is declining, with the NHS increasing its work rate
Independent sector (IS) elective activity for the NHS has fallen 12% from its July 2025 peak, using a 4-month rolling average to even out monthly and seasonal variations. The fall coincides with a squeeze on NHS finances across the country.
Every comparable month shows fewer IS procedures than a year earlier — and the gap is widening.
| Month | 2024/5 | 2025/6 | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct | 532,975 | 501,390 | -31,585 | -5.9% |
| Nov | 505,130 | 471,660 | -33,470 | -6.6% |
| Dec | 441,640 | 403,235 | -38,405 | -8.7% |
| Jan | 512,160 (2025) | 444,420 (2026) | -67,740 | -13.2% |
Source: NHS England SUS data
Overall, the NHS has more than filled the gap left by the IS — but the most recent months show cracks, with the combined total of treatments for January 2026 being nearly 93,000 fewer procedures (NHS + IS providers) than a year ago.
The IS share of elective care has dropped to just 6.4%, its lowest level in comparable years in the dataset.
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