What the July 2026 standards mean for you while you wait for NHS treatment
On 3 July 2026 NHS England published two linked documents setting out, for the first time, clear minimum standards of patient experience that every provider of planned NHS care must meet. These apply once your referral for non-urgent (“elective”) care has been accepted by a hospital or specialist service. They cover the period from acceptance through to the completion of your care or a decision that no treatment is needed.
The standards were developed with patients, unpaid carers and patient organisations. They respond directly to repeated feedback that people are left in the dark after referral, do not know whether their referral has been accepted, receive no updates during long waits, and are given insufficient notice or information about appointments.
The eight standards fall into three groups
(1) When you are referred
You should know within 28 days whether your referral has been accepted or what the next steps are. In many cases this will appear in the NHS App, but it may also come by text, letter or other agreed method. If the referral does not lead to a waiting list, you should be told why and what happens next.
(2) While you are on the waiting list and throughout your care
- Communication must be clear and easy to understand. You (or your unpaid carer) must have the opportunity to tell the provider about any specific communication needs or preferences.
- When your referral is accepted you should receive practical information to help you while you wait: who to contact for administrative questions, what to do if your condition changes or worsens, and self-care or wellbeing support where appropriate.
- You should receive regular updates on your wait at least every 12 weeks. These may come via the NHS App or text and should confirm you are still on the list and explain any action required from you.
- Before appointments you must be able to tell the provider about any additional needs or reasonable adjustments (for example wheelchair access, longer appointment times, BSL interpreter, or information in a particular format). Providers have a duty to make these adjustments.
(3) Planning and understanding your appointments
- You should receive clear information about appointments at least 21 days in advance (unless the appointment is arranged at short notice to fill a cancellation or for clinical urgency).
- If an appointment is cancelled by you or the provider, a new date should be communicated within 28 days.
- When your care episode is complete you should be told clearly what happens next, including any follow-up arrangements or how patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU) works if that is the model being used.
These standards sit alongside your existing rights under the NHS Constitution, including the right to clear information, reasonable adjustments under the Accessible Information Standard, and, in most cases, the right to choose your first outpatient provider for consultant-led care.
Why these standards matter in practice
Many people, particularly those waiting for gynaecology, orthopaedics, or other specialties with long waiting lists, describe the period after referral as one of uncertainty and anxiety. Silence from the system is distressing when you are living with pain, bleeding, reduced mobility or other symptoms that affect daily life, work and family responsibilities. The standards aim to replace that silence with predictable, timely information.
If you do not receive what the standards require, you can raise this with the service directly in the first instance. If that does not resolve the issue, contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at the hospital or clinic. PALS can provide confidential advice and help with complaints. Making a complaint should never affect your future care.
You can also use these standards as a benchmark when speaking with your GP practice or the hospital team. Knowing what you are entitled to expect helps conversations stay focused on solutions.
How this connects to women’s healthcare experiences
Women are disproportionately represented on some of the longest elective waiting lists, particularly in gynaecology where lists have remained above 560,000–570,000 in recent data despite overall elective recovery efforts in other areas. Many women are waiting for treatment of conditions that interact with hormonal cycles, fertility, pregnancy history or later-life health. Clear, regular communication during these waits is therefore especially important, yet women have often reported having to repeat their full history across multiple specialties because information does not travel with them.
These standards improve the flow of information within a single planned care pathway. They do not, on their own, create the joined-up view across a woman’s life course that many patients say is missing. That broader question is explored in other sections of this site.
If your health changes while you are waiting
Use NHS 111 (online or phone) for urgent but not life-threatening concerns, call 999 or go to A&E for emergencies, and contact your GP practice for new or separate non-urgent issues. The standards themselves do not replace clinical advice; they are about the experience of being kept informed.
Disclaimer
This article is for general information and discussion only. It is not medical or legal advice, nor a substitute for professional advice. To contribute evidence, ideas, or corrections, please email womenshealthproject@outlook.com. Please do not share personal data when emailing. Individual cases cannot be reviewed. This project does not offer any form of legal service and cannot assist with complaints, claims or individual advocacy. This platform is independent and not affiliated with any law firm, regulator, inquiry or clinical body.
© 2026 Women’s Health Inquiry Project (WHIP). This article includes original analysis of material from publicly available national sources. It may not be reproduced without permission.
References NHS England, Minimum standards for planned patient care, 3 July 2026, publication reference PRN02340_i. NHS England, Minimum standards of patient experience – electives (letter to acute trusts), 3 July 2026. NHS England, The NHS Constitution for England (updated). NHS England, Accessible Information Standard. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists statements on gynaecology waiting lists (2025–2026 data releases). NHS England elective care recovery data publications (including sex and specialty breakdowns).