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Written question asked by Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party) on Thursday, 16 April 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 20 April 2026. It was answered by Stephen Kinnock (Labour) on Wednesday, 22 April 2026 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Cataracts: Waiting Lists

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients are waiting more than 52 weeks for treatment for Cataracts within the NHS.

Answer

As of 12 April 2026, there are 1,124 patients waiting more than 52 weeks for treatment of cataracts within the National Health Service in England.

As set out in the Plan for Change and the Elective Reform Plan, we are committed to returning by March 2029 to the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment. As part of this ambition, we are continuing to encourage and support providers to reduce waits for patients who have waited longest for treatment.

The Elective Reform Plan also provides a range of measures to improve the experience of care for patients, including those experiencing long waits. This includes engaging with patients and carers to publish a set of minimum standards that patients can expect to experience in elective care.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
127800
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Waiting lists Cataracts
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk