Waiting for prosperity: Modelling the economic benefits of reducing elective waiting lists in the NHS

Article

The number of people waiting for elective healthcare is at record levels.

As well as compelling moral reasons to reduce NHS waiting lists, there is also a convincing economic case to go further and faster on elective recovery. We find that delivering against the target set by the Elective Recovery Plan would deliver an estimated increase in production of £73 billion over five years.

But delivering a 30 per cent increase in elective activity is a challenging task – and not one that data suggest will happen without further policy intervention. To help identify immediate opportunities for intervention, in this report we explore the most pressing bottlenecks in the elective treatment pathways.

Related items

  1. Train and cars on a motorway with London skyline in background

    Planes, trains and automobiles: How green transport can drive manufacturing growth in the UK

    Transport is essential to our lives. Unfortunately, it is currently also the largest source of UK domestic carbon emissions. 

  2. Regional economies: The role of industrial strategy as a pathway to greener growth

    Regions like the North should have a key role to play in the development of a green industrial strategy.
  3. A mother and child walking in a field with hills in the distance

    Achieving the 2030 child poverty target: The distance left to travel

    On 27 March, the Scottish government will announce whether Scotland’s 2023 child poverty target – no more than 18 per cent of children in poverty – was achieved.