Pledge: 92% of patients waiting under 18 weeks by Mar 2029. Starting from 58.8% in Jul 2024, the straight path needed 73.6% by now.

What it means: the NHS constitution standard is that 92% of people waiting for planned hospital treatment should have waited less than 18 weeks. It has not been met for a decade. A rising line means waits are getting shorter.

Source: NHS England, referral to treatment waiting times, England, including estimates for trusts that did not report.