The future of local banking services and access to cash
An overview of policy relating to the closure of bank and building society branches and to efforts to protect access to cash.

Summary of NHS demand, performance, backlogs, and capacity of services in England. It covers A&E waiting times, hospital waiting lists, cancer waiting times, ambulance response times, staffing levels including doctors and nurses, vacancies, and more.
NHS Key Statistics: July 2023 - full PDF report (714 KB , PDF)
Before 2020, the NHS in England experienced increasing demand and declining performance on its main waiting time measures.
Many of these pressures have increased following the Covid-19 pandemic.
The waiting list for hospital treatment rose to a record of nearly 7.5 million in May 2023. The 18-week treatment target has not been met since 2016.
Source: NHS England, Consultant-Led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times
The number of people going to A&E was similar to pre-pandemic levels in June 2023. The proportion of patients spending more than 4 hours in hospital A&E grew substantially between 2015 and 2020. A new record high of 50.4% was reached in December 2022, but performance has subsequently improved slightly.
The number of patients waiting over 12 hours for admission after a decision to admit has increased substantially over the past two years.
Source: NHS England, Accident and Emergency Attendances and Emergency Admissions
The 62-day waiting time standard for cancer treatment (measured from urgent GP referral) has not been met in recent years. Performance declined between 2013 and 2018. Since the pandemic it has fallen further. In January 2023, 54.7% of patients waited under 62 days for treatment after an urgent GP referral, compared with an target of 85%. This was a record low.
Source: NHS England, Cancer Waiting Times
NHS staff numbers have increased, with doctor numbers up 22% and nurses up 18% over the five years to November 2022. The NHS vacancy rate was 8.0% in March 2023, similar to a year before.
These workforce figures do not adjust for changes in demand or activity.
Source: NHS Digital, NHS Workforce Statistics
Ambulance response times have risen, with the average response to a Category 2 call (for e.g. suspected heart attacks and strokes) at over 1 hour 30 minutes in December 2022 compared with a target of 18 minutes. Performance has subsequently improved but remains outside the target.
Source: NHS England, Ambulance Quality Indicators
For information on NHS funding and mental health services, please see our separate briefings:
Health is a devolved policy area and these statistics relate to the NHS in England only. Links to statistics for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can be found below.
NHS Key Statistics: July 2023 - full PDF report (714 KB , PDF)
An overview of policy relating to the closure of bank and building society branches and to efforts to protect access to cash.
Strikes have been taking place across the NHS in England. This briefing looks at when and why some NHS workers are striking and explains the latest pay deals.
The briefing sets out international commitments on freedom of religion or belief, reports of discrimination, and UK international work on the issue.