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Ministers Criticized for £3M Patient Removal Scheme

2/3/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Ministers face criticism for paying hospitals £3 million monthly to remove patients from NHS waiting lists, creating a misleading impression of treatment success.
Analysis shows over 346,000 patients were deleted in November alone.
Health Minister Karin Smyth defended the practice as essential for managing waiting lists amid an NHS waiting list of 7.3 million.
Experts from the Nuffield Trust and King’s Fund say the practice is unsustainable.

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Story summary

Ministers face criticism for paying hospitals £3 million monthly to remove patients from NHS waiting lists, creating a misleading impression of treatment success.
Analysis shows over 346,000 patients were deleted in November alone.
Health Minister Karin Smyth defended the practice as essential for managing waiting lists amid an NHS waiting list of 7.3 million.
Experts from the Nuffield Trust and King’s Fund say the practice is unsustainable.