Getting the NHS "back on its feet" after the pandemic, which increased pressures on the health service, is one of the Labour government's biggest priorities.
In its 2024 election manifesto, Labour said its immediate priority on health will be to "get a grip on the record waiting lists" and "return to meeting NHS performance standards".
Labour's main focus has been getting waiting times down for non-urgent, consultant-led treatments.
NHS waiting lists for those treatments remain high, with around 7.4 million people waiting as of late 2025, significantly above pre-pandemic levels, though slightly down from peak backlogs after Covid-19.
On A&E treatment, last year the government said it would invest more than £450m on expanding urgent and emergency care facilities to provide faster care for patients.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said even in the NHS's best days "there will still have been patients on trolleys in corridors being treated in conditions that fall short of my ambitions and expectations for our health service".
He said during his tenure as health secretary so far, he had "sought to get the balance right - being proud of our progress without overselling the success and being honest about our shortcomings and challenges without fuelling pessimism and defeatism".
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said "corridor care is unacceptable".
"That's why this government is tackling the situation by delivering 500,000 more vaccinations compared to last year, building new same day emergency centres, mental health crisis centres, and deploying 500 brand new ambulances," the spokesperson said.
"In addition, we've struck a deal on medicine pricing that puts patients first and strengthens our life sciences sector, all without taking essential funding from our frontline services."
The Conservatives, who were in government during the pandemic, have been approached for comment.
