Surgeons: NHS needs capacity as well as workforce to tackle waiting lists

Responding to the findings, Tim Lane, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England said:

"The Health Foundation's findings echo what surgeons across the NHS have been telling us for years. The NHS does not simply have a workforce challenge: it has a capacity challenge. We cannot expect surgeons and the wider workforce that makes surgery happen to deliver more operations and reduce waiting lists if they do not have consistent access to theatres, diagnostics and beds.

“Productivity is not just about how hard staff work, but whether the system gives them the tools and capacity to do their jobs effectively.

"We welcome the call for a stable, multi-year approach to funding and investment. Without investment in operating theatres, diagnostics and other essential infrastructure, there is a real risk the NHS will continue to underutilise one of its most valuable assets: its surgical workforce. If these capacity issues are not addressed, the significant reductions in waiting times that patients need and deserve will remain out of reach."

ENDS

Notes to editors

2. 2025 UK Surgical Workforce Census — Royal College of Surgeons

3. Latest NHS England RTT data is available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2026-27/#Jul26. Only 65.4% of cases were waiting 18 weeks or less for treatment in July, leaving the NHS well below the 92% standard the government has pledged to restore by March 2029. The number of cases waiting more than a year for elective treatment has increased for the fourth consecutive month and is now over 17% (16,975 cases) higher than in March. This means some patients who have already experienced the longest delays are continuing to wait even longer for treatment: Surgeons: patients continue to face long waits as recovery remains too slow to restore NHS waiting time standards — Royal College of Surgeons

4. The Royal College of Surgeons of England provides world-class education, assessment, and development to 30,000 surgeons, dental professionals, and members of the wider surgical and dental care teams at all stages of their careers. Our vision is to see excellent surgical care for everyone. We do this by setting professional standards, facilitating research, and championing the best outcomes for patients.  

5. For more information, please contact the RCS England press office: telephone: 020 7869 6054/6053; email: pressoffice@rcseng.ac.uk; out-of-hours media enquiries: 0207 869 6056.