Corporate information

We monitor our performance against several national targets for urgent and emergency care, cancer assessments and care, elective referral to treatment (RTT) and diagnostic waiting times.

The focus on improving against these standards allows us to fulfil our commitment to delivering safe, consistent, and timely care to both elective and emergency patients. 

Our latest performance data is as follows: 

Emergency care

Patients admitted, transferred or discharged from our emergency departments within four hours in April was 73.9%, a slight decrease from 74.8% in March.

Individual hospital performance for Aprilwas:

• 76.3% at Barnet Hospital
• 63.6% at North Middlesex University Hospital
• 75.7% at Royal Free Hospital
• 99.9% at Chase Farm Hospital

Ambulance waiting times

Ambulances waiting for under 30 minutes outside our emergency departments decreased to 52.6% in April 2025 (49.7% at Barnet Hospital, 62.5% at the Royal Free Hospital and 47.8% at North Middlesex University Hospital). This decreased overall from 58.3% the previous month.

Referral to treatment waiting list

The number of patients waiting fewer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment in April 2025 was 56.3%, a small decrease from 57.3% the previous month. A total of 105 patients waited longer than 78 weeks, down from 34 patients the previous month, 

Cancer

A total of 62.8% of patients completed their treatment within 62 days in April 2025. A total of 76.6% of patients received a 28-day faster diagnoses for cancer in March, which is an increase from 75.1% in the previous month.

Diagnostics

The number of patients waiting fewer than six weeks for diagnostic tests was at 84.1% in April 2025 compared to 90.0% in March. The trust remains in the second highest quartile for national benchmarking.

Mortality

The number of hospital deaths remain lower than expected, with a summary hospital-level mortality indicator (SHMI) of 0.86 for January 2023 to December 2024 (latest data).

For our yearly performance data, see our annual reports.

In accordance with NHS England guidance, the Public Register displays declarations of interest made by our decision-making staff. We're committed to being an open and transparent organisation and you can view our staff declarations here. 

Decision makers are defined as:

• executive and non-executive directors
• governors.
• staff at Agenda for Change band 8d and above
• non-agenda for change senior staff (including all other very senior managers and all consultants)
• other administrative and clinical staff who have the power to enter into supply contracts on behalf of the trust, approve invoices or participate in decisions to buy equipment or add drugs to formulary, whether individually or at a trust committee

You can also view staff declarations at the former North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust, which merged with the Royal Free London on 1 January 2025.

Fraud in the NHS is thought to cost on average around £5.7 billion every year and takes away money which services should be spending on patient care, funding towards further medical professionals or treatments. The total loss of procurement expenditure is estimated to be £1.05 billion, while the total loss to payroll fraud is estimated to be £0.56 billion.

What is fraud?

Fraud is defined as any dishonest false representation, failure to disclose information or abuse of position (Fraud Act 2006).

Bribery/corruption

Bribery and corruption are where someone is influenced by bribery, payment or benefit-in-kind to unreasonably use their position to give some advantage to another (Bribery Act 2010).

Who commits fraud?

Anyone can commit fraud against the NHS. People investigated include doctors, nurses, administration staff, managers, health care professionals, dentists, opticians, pharmacists, patients, directors, GPs and overseas patients.

Examples of fraud

The types of fraud investigated in the NHS include the following:

• false time recording (overtime, flexi time, enhanced hours etc)
• false qualifications/professional registrations
• working while sick
• claiming additional or fictitious expenses
• false charge exemptions
• ordering/invoices
• mandate fraud
• contractor claims
• employees not having the correct or legitimate right-to-work documents
• employees having expired right-to-work documents
• procuring goods and services in a non-transparent and dishonest manner
• commissioners claiming for services in respect of fictitious or ghost patients
• false identity.

This list is not exhaustive.

What to do if you suspect a fraud?

• DO report your suspicions confidentially to someone with the appropriate authority and experience.
• DO deal with the matter promptly if you feel your concerns are warranted.
• DO NOT ignore it.
• DO NOT approach or accuse individuals directly.
• DO NOT try to investigate the matter yourself. 
• DO NOT convey your suspicions to anyone other than those with the proper authority.

Who to contact

The trust adopts a zero tolerance approach towards fraud being perpetrated. Therefore, if you have any concerns about fraud, bribery or corruption within the NHS, or need fraud-related advice, you can:

• Contact the NHS Fraud and Corruption Reporting Line on 0800 028 40 60. This is a freephone service; lines are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.
• Get in touch with the NHS Counter Fraud Authority via its online reporting form.
• Contact your Local Counter Fraud Specialist:
  Charles Medley — tel 07468 740949, email: charles.medley@nhs.net or
  Constance Choi — tel: 07776 647798, email: constance.choi@nhs.net

All referrals/discussions will be dealt with sensitively and in a professional and confidential manner.

Royal Free London carbon reduction plan (pdf)

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust supports the Government’s objectives to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking and recognises the significant role the NHS has to play in both combatting it and supporting victims. In particular, we are committed to ensuring our supply chains and business activities are free from ethical and labour standards abuses. Steps taken to date include:

People

• Appropriate pre‐employment checks on directly employed staff and agencies on approved frameworks are audited to provide assurance that pre‐employment clearance has been obtained.
• A range of controls to protect staff from poor treatment and/or exploitation, which comply with all respective laws and regulations. These include provision of fair pay rates, fair terms and conditions of employment and access to training and development opportunities.
• Consultation and negotiation with trade unions on proposed changes to employment, work organisation and contractual relations.
• Established relationships with multiple external agencies and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

Speaking up at work

• The Royal Free London believes that every member of staff has a duty to raise concerns at the earliest reasonable opportunity about the provision of care or any other malpractice within the trust where care and/or behaviour/conduct is believed to be inadequate or unacceptable. In addition, staff have duties imposed upon them to raise such concerns by their respective professional regulatory bodies, such as the General Medical Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Health and Care Professions Council etc.

Our supply chain

• We purchase most of our products from UK or EU based firms, who may also be required to comply with the requirements of the UK Modern Slavery Act (2015) or similar legislation in other EU states.
• We purchase a significant number of products through NHS Supply Chain, whose ‘Supplier Code of Conduct’ includes a provision around forced labour.
• Where possible and consistent with the public contracts' regulations, we build long‐standing relationships with suppliers.

Training

• Advice and training about modern slavery and human trafficking is available to staff through our safeguarding children and adults training, our safeguarding policies and procedures and our safeguarding leads.