In September 2021, patients in the worst-performing of NHSE&I’s 42 geographic areas of England were more than twice as likely as patients in the best-performing areas to have been waiting over 18 weeks for elective care. Patients were also more than twice as likely to have waited more than 62 days for cancer treatment following an urgent referral in the worst-performing area compared with the best-performing. The difference between the worst and best areas in the proportion of patients waiting over 52 weeks for elective care was around 12 times.40