Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of cancelled appointments as a result of strike action in the NHS since July 2024.

The National Health Service met its ambitious goal to maintain 95% of planned care during the November round of strike action, surpassing the 93% protected during action in July, while still maintaining critical services, including maternity services and urgent cancer care. Cancellations have reduced across successive periods of strikes. As a result of industrial action:

• there were 61,989 elective procedures and appointments rescheduled between 27 June and 1 July;
• there were 54,095 elective procedures and appointments rescheduled between 25 July and 29 July; and
• there were 38,961 elective procedures and appointments rescheduled between 14 November to 18 November.