Reducing elective care waiting lists remains one of the most pressing challenges facing the NHS. With more than seven million people currently waiting for treatment in England, there is growing recognition that addressing the backlog requires more than additional capacity alone. It demands better use of data, new ways of working, and stronger collaboration across organisations and disciplines.
That is why the Strategy Unit partnering with Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) to host the national Waiting List Conference 2026: From Backlog to Breakthrough, taking place on 16–17 September 2026 at the Wellcome Trust in London.
The conference will bring together patients, analysts, clinicians, researchers, policymakers and system leaders to explore how evidence, analytics and innovation can help improve access to care and reduce waiting times.
For The Strategy Unit, the conference aligns closely with our mission to improve population health and health services through analysis, modelling, evaluation and system-wide learning.
Bringing analytical insight to a national challenge
Waiting lists are often described as a "wicked problem" - a complex challenge shaped by multiple interacting factors including demand, capacity, workforce, patient behaviour, service design and wider system pressures.
Addressing challenges of this scale requires a combination of robust evidence, practical innovation and collaboration between those generating insights and those making decisions.
The conference provides an opportunity to showcase emerging analytical approaches, share learning from across the NHS and create stronger connections between people working on waiting list improvement. The conference will also mark the launch of the Waiting Intelligence Network (WIN) - to share learning, scale innovation, and accelerate system-wide change.
About the conference
A distinctive feature of the conference is its commitment to co-design by patients with lived experience of waiting lists, ensuring that the patient voice is represented throughout the programme including among the audience.
Over two days, delegates will explore themes including:
- Understanding the causes, consequences and dynamics of waiting lists across health and care systems
- Bringing together diverse perspectives from patients, frontline staff, analysts, researchers and leaders
- Challenging assumptions and exploring new ways of framing the problem
- Sharing practical examples of innovation, including novel models of care and AI-enabled approaches
- Learning from real-world pilots, prototypes and improvement initiatives
- Addressing the underlying structural, behavioural and cultural factors that contribute to long waits
The conference will be complemented by a series of free expert-led ELAB webinars in the lead-up to the event, providing opportunities for deeper learning, international perspectives and focused discussion on key topics.
Showcasing Strategy Unit expertise
The Strategy Unit will contribute to several sessions across the programme, including presentations on:
- Adjusting for the Impact of the Waiting List Backlog in Medium Term Planning Using the NHP Demand and Capacity Model, presented by Lucy Morgan, Analytics Manager (Simulation)
- NHS Waiting Times and Privately Funded Hip and Knee Surgery in England: A Causal Analysis Using National Joint Registry Data (2013–2023), presented by Steven Wyatt, Head of Research & Policy
- Patient panel discussion and impact-focused sessions facilitated by Fraser Battye, Head of Policy
Registration
This is an in-person event. Places are limited, with priority given to NHS and social care staff. Please register your interest on the form below to attend. Further instructions on how to apply for a space will be released in due course.
Register for e-lab sessions here ELAB Webinars - Call for Action on Waiting Lists - HDR UK