NHS uses independent sector for 6.15m appointments
If you’re stuck on a waiting list, you do have options. Over the last year, the NHS in England has bought extra operations, scans and appointments from independent hospitals and clinics so you can be seen sooner - always free at the point of use. Think of it as borrowing spare capacity nearby rather than asking you to pay.
According to the Department of Health and Social Care, independent providers delivered 6.15 million appointments, tests and operations for NHS patients between September 2024 and August 2025. That’s almost 500,000 more than the previous year, and officials say the overall waiting list fell by around 206,000 over the same period.
Week to week, ministers report averages of about 19,000 surgical procedures and 100,000 outpatient appointments delivered by independent providers under NHS contracts this financial year. They add that this activity supported treatment for more than 1.1 million people, on top of care in NHS‑run hospitals.
The target in England is clear: 92% of patients should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral. Your role in that is more powerful than it sounds. You can ask to be seen at a different NHS hospital or an independent provider that meets NHS standards if the queue is shorter there.
Research published by the Independent Healthcare Providers Network with the Patients Association and Arthritis UK finds that switching to a nearby hospital typically means travelling just under 13 miles - usually under 30 minutes by car - and can cut more than two and a half months from the wait. In some cases, people save up to five months.
Take general surgery in the South East as an example. Moving from an area with the longest waits to one with the shortest can shrink the average wait from about 27 weeks to six weeks for procedures such as hernia repair. It’s still NHS care, just delivered where the queue is shorter.
Ministers, including Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting, argue this is both a values question and a practical fix: people should be treated on time regardless of income, and the system should use every safe spare slot. NHS leaders - including Sir Jim Mackey - say early signs show progress, with the overall list edging down for the first time in years. The government also points to five million more appointments and productivity gains alongside this policy.
Capacity expansion isn’t only about buying slots. Community Diagnostic Centres have delivered more than 8.7 million tests since July 2024, according to the department. New surgical hubs are opening or growing, hospitals are running high‑intensity theatre days at weekends to clear a week’s work in a day, and NHS Online aims to enable up to 8.5 million appointments in its first three years. Evening and weekend operating, plus modern tech such as robotic surgery, are part of the same push.
Media literacy check: in this context, “independent sector” means private hospitals and clinics contracted and regulated to NHS standards. Care is still free at the point of use. The Independent Healthcare Providers Network estimates it delivers about 10% of all NHS elective activity. Supporters see faster treatment; critics worry about long‑term reliance on non‑NHS providers. It’s worth weighing both, using the data period - September 2024 to August 2025 - as your anchor.
What this means for you: you can ask your GP or hospital team about shorter waits at other NHS hospitals or at an independent provider working for the NHS, even outside your local area. Check travel, follow‑up needs and accessibility. If costs or caring responsibilities make travel hard, say so - services can advise on support and scheduling.
For classrooms and study groups, this is a live case study in capacity planning and fairness. Compare government claims with the independent research above, then build a simple model: if 6.15 million extra slots are purchased in a year, how far does that move the 18‑week standard when demand also grows? Encourage students to state sources in their working.
The big picture is careful optimism. The list has fallen by about 206,000 over the year, yet many specialties still face long queues. The current strategy mixes investment in NHS‑run services with targeted use of spare capacity elsewhere. Your right to choose - backed by clear information and realistic travel plans - is the tool that turns policy headlines into faster care.