The NHS measure of the time from a referral to the start of consultant-led treatment.
Referral to treatment is the official measure NHS England uses for consultant-led elective waiting times. A pathway begins with a defined clock-start event and ends with a clock-stop event such as starting treatment or a decision not to treat. The monthly statistics report incomplete pathways still waiting, completed pathways and the proportion waiting within 18 weeks. The figures describe pathways, so one person can appear on more than one pathway at once.