SMALL PARTYConsultant-led referral to treatment waiting times data 2024–25
Supported claim: Waiting times are a material NHS access problem: the published June 2024 return recorded millions of incomplete treatment pathways.
high confidence
Summary and intended outcome
Cut waiting times and improve reliable access to frontline care.
Uncertainty: high confidence. Incomplete pathways are a useful access indicator but do not measure clinical outcomes.
Why? Evidence for this claim
- Source
- Consultant-led referral to treatment waiting times data 2024–25, NHS England
- Method
- NHS England aggregates monthly provider returns for consultant-led referral-to-treatment pathways; pathways are not a count of unique people.
- Assumptions
- Incomplete pathways are a useful access indicator but do not measure clinical outcomes.
- The June 2024 snapshot may not describe current performance.
- Confidence
- high
Problem and baseline
Unknown. The source document does not state a problem or baseline.
Proposed action
Measure outcomes rather than administrative activity, use technology to remove avoidable work, and protect access according to clinical need. Address workforce, capacity, cost, funding and transition risk.
Why this approach
Unknown. The source document states a direction but does not explain why this approach was chosen.
Cost, saving, revenue and funding
Cost
Unknown. No supported figure has been published in the source policy document.
Saving
Unknown. No supported figure has been published in the source policy document.
Revenue
Unknown. No supported figure has been published in the source policy document.
Funding
Unknown. No funding source has been specified.
Trade-offs, risks and affected groups
Trade-offs and risks
Unknown. Trade-offs and risks have not yet been assessed.
Affected groups
Unknown. Affected groups have not yet been recorded.
Evidence, method, assumptions and publication date
Publication date
Unknown. No publication date appears in the source document.
Small Test assessment
This assessment presents reasoning, not a score or objective judgement.
Does it increase freedom?
Incomplete
Assessment incomplete.
The source policy document does not yet provide an assessment or rationale.
Is government actually needed?
Incomplete
Assessment incomplete.
The source policy document does not yet provide an assessment or rationale.
Can we afford it?
Incomplete
Assessment incomplete.
The source policy document does not yet provide an assessment or rationale.
Does it reduce concentrated power?
Incomplete
Assessment incomplete.
The source policy document does not yet provide an assessment or rationale.
Can we measure whether it works?
Incomplete
Assessment incomplete.
The source policy document does not yet provide an assessment or rationale.
Measures, review date and correction history
Measures
Unknown. No measurable outcomes have yet been defined.
Review date
Unknown. No review date has been set.
Publication and correction history
- — Publication update: Converted the source policy document into the structured public record; no material claims changed.