Responding to the news that NHS staff across England have reduced the number of patients waiting more than a year and a half by over a quarter in just one month, Miriam Deakin, director of policy at NHS Providers said:

"The hard work of NHS staff to clear the elective backlog has led to promising results. This is a considerable achievement given the challenges mounting on the health service.

"With the nurses strikes now on pause and winter pressures starting to ease, trust leaders hope this progress can continue at pace.

"However, there is still a very long way to go with over 40,000 procedures to work through to meet the 78-week target set for April – and the need to tackle care backlogs for mental health and community services.

"Much of the progress being made varies widely across the country, so an inclusive approach to recovery is key. For it to also be sustainable, we need to see a lasting resolution to industrial action across all sectors of the NHS. This must include a fully funded pay settlement.

"We hope the government's long-term workforce plan, due this year, will also help tackle the vast staff shortages that will otherwise hamper trusts' ability to deliver on these targets."