Responding to the Prime Minister’s ‘Plan for Change’ speech, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said:

“We welcome the Prime Minister underscoring once again that supporting the NHS is a top priority for his government. With waiting lists standing at 7.5 million and these being seen as the most concerning issue facing the NHS among the public, it is right that this is given focus in the ‘change’ milestones.

“Health leaders are ready to take forward the government’s ambition for 92% of patients to be seen within 18 weeks of referral, supported by the funding increase announced in the Budget.

“However, with this standard not having been achieved nationally for nearly a decade, GPs seeing record levels of patients, and the latest data showing that the time spent by ambulances stuck outside A&Es waiting to hand over patients has nearly doubled since last year, a high bar has clearly been set and delivering it will require a monumental increase in activity. Our members look forward to the imminent elective recovery plan which we hope will set out the details on how this will be achieved.

“Also, and as the Prime Minister has noted, reducing the elective care backlog requires changes not just to how the NHS manages its waiting lists but to how the NHS delivers care more generally, including in the community and to how people can be better supported to live healthier lives. This needs to be a sustained, cross-departmental effort across all of government.”