With NHS England announcing that the waiting list in England has fallen for the third month in a row, health and protection experts say the figures highlight the continued demand for private healthcare options and earlier clinical support. For advisers working with clients and individuals considering private medical insurance, the figures underline the role that private healthcare and workplace health services can play in helping potential clients access treatment sooner and remain in work while waiting for NHS care.
Below, industry experts from The Exeter, Teladoc Health UK and Healix Health share their views on what the latest figures mean.
Karen Woodley, Head of Healthcare Distribution at The Exeter, comments:
“It’s encouraging to see the waiting list continuing to move in the right direction. NHS teams delivered a record 18.4 million treatments in 2025, reflecting the huge effort across the system to increase activity and help more patients get the care they need. For those who have been waiting for tests, appointments or procedures, even gradual improvements can make a real difference.
However, demand for healthcare across the UK remains high, with the private sector helping to ease pressure on services. Private Healthcare Information Network data show 230,000 private hospital admissions were made between July and September 2025, highlighting how people are turning to private care to access treatment sooner. When patients are able to access diagnosis or treatment through private medical insurance, it can help them move forward with their care while easing pressure across the wider healthcare system.”
This also underlines the growing role private medical insurance can play in helping individuals access diagnosis and treatment sooner, while supporting the wider healthcare system.
Dr David Griffiths, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Teladoc Health UK, comments:
“Even when lists start to move in the right direction, there are still huge numbers of people spending long periods managing symptoms and navigating decisions about referrals, tests or treatment options. If symptoms progress, or medical complications ensue, this may result in potentially avoidable absence from work.
There is a real opportunity to improve support through earlier access to practical clinical care, which can help people manage their symptoms, maintain function, and increase their sense of control so that they’re ready for treatment when the time comes.
This is why many employers are starting to look more closely at how they can support staff while they wait for NHS treatment. Providing access to services such as physiotherapy, mental health support or clinical advice can help people stay active and remain in work during what can often be a long and uncertain period. In practice, earlier access to these kinds of interventions can make a meaningful difference. For example, internal data from our physiotherapy service shows that up to 75% of users avoided taking time off work and 57% were able to return to work more quickly.”
For intermediaries working with employer clients, this reinforces the value of early clinical support services that can help reduce absence and support employees while they wait for treatment.
Keira Wallis, Head of Clinical Operations at Healix Health, comments:
“Any reduction in NHS waiting times is positive, particularly for people who have been waiting for care and want to focus on getting better. But even when the numbers improve, for many working-age adults the key question is whether they receive support early enough to stop a health problem becoming a longer-term issue at work. This matters even more now, as the government wants the NHS to focus not only on treating patients, but also on helping more people return to work.
We’ve already seen that keeping people healthy and in work is becoming a much bigger priority, as reflected in the Keep Britain Working Review and its focus on the role employers can play. For employers, that means looking beyond treatment alone. Earlier intervention and more preventative support can all make a real difference, helping people recover sooner, avoid falling out of work where possible, and easing some of the pressure on NHS services.”
Keira’s insight highlights the increasing focus on early intervention and preventative support within workplace health strategies, an area advisers are increasingly discussing with clients.
