In this article we will describe the NHS’S Performance Targets (KPIs) in 2026 – focusing on patients’ rights as part of the NHS Constitution.
While the NHS has clear “Constitutional Targets,” (i.e. patients’ rights), the reality of patient experience often depends on a “postcode lottery.” These are part of the NHS Constitution.
In 2026, the NHS is working toward a multi-year recovery plan to restore standards that haven’t been met in a decade.
Here are the six key performance indicators (KPIs) you need to know, updated with the latest 2025/26 data.
The Target: 92% of patients should start non-urgent consultant-led treatment (like a hip replacement or cataract surgery) within 18 weeks of a GP referral. This is known as Referral to Treatment (RTT).
2026 Interim Goal: The NHS aims for 65% of patients to meet this target by March 2026.
Current Reality: Performance is hovering around 61.5%.
The Wait: The median waiting time is currently 13.6 weeks, significantly higher than the 7.5-week average seen in 2019.
Backlog Status: There are currently 7.2 million cases on the waiting list.
The Target: 95% of patients attending Accident & Emergency should be admitted, transferred, or discharged within four hours.
2026 Recovery Target: An interim “floor” of 78% has been set for March 2026.
Current Reality: Overall performance is roughly 74%, but for “Type 1” (major) A&E departments, it remains much lower at around 60%.
12-Hour Breaches: “Trolley waits” remain a major issue; in early 2026, over 54,000 patients waited more than 12 hours for a bed after a decision was made to admit them.
The NHS now uses a simplified three-target framework for cancer to speed up life-saving interventions.
| Standard | Target | 2026 Performance (Est.) |
| Faster Diagnosis (FDS) | Diagnosis/Rule-out within 28 days | ~73% (Target: 80% by March 2026) |
| 31-Day Treatment | Treatment within 31 days of decision | ~90% (Target: 96%) |
| 62-Day Treatment | Referral to first treatment | ~68% (Target: 75% by March 2026) |
The “Two-Week Wait” (2WW) was officially retired in 2023 to focus on the 28-day diagnosis outcome.
Formerly known as IAPT, these services treat common conditions like anxiety and depression.
The Targets: 75% of people should start treatment within 6 weeks; 95% within 18 weeks.
Current Reality: This is one of the few areas where the NHS consistently meets or nears its targets, with roughly 89% of patients starting treatment within 6 weeks.
For people experiencing their first episode of psychosis (a severe mental health crisis), rapid treatment is vital for long-term recovery.
The Target: 60% of people should start a NICE-recommended package of care within 2 weeks of referral.
2026 Status: Performance remains a priority, as early treatment drastically reduces the need for hospital admission.
The Target: 95% of under-19s should receive help within 1 week for urgent cases and 4 weeks for routine cases.
Current Reality: This target is under extreme pressure; only about 72% of urgent cases currently meet the one-week benchmark.
Most of these targets are not just “goals”—they are legal rights under the NHS Constitution.
If you have been waiting longer than 18 weeks for a procedure, or if you have a suspected cancer referral that is delayed, you have a right to ask for your care to be moved to a different provider (including private hospitals used by the NHS).
Note on the “GP Gap”: Currently, there are no national waiting time targets for General Practice. At MyHSN, we believe clear KPIs for GP access (such as a 48-hour appointment target) are necessary to relieve pressure on the rest of the system.
In this article we have described the NHS’S Performance Targets (KPIs) in 2026 – focusing on patients’ rights as part of the NHS Constitution. We also emphasise how these targets have been downgraded this year, and beyond.
Planned Surgery (18 weeks): 65% 2026 target (Current: ~61.5%)
A&E (4 hours): 78% 2026 target (Current: ~74%)
Cancer (62-day): 75% 2026 target (Current: ~68%)
Note. These are pretty low standards and aspirations. The actual 18 week and 4 hour targets are 92%, 95% and 85%.
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