England’s NHS waiting list rises to record 7.75m

England’s waiting list for planned NHS treatment has risen again to another record high, at 7.75 million, the figure at the end of August more than 100,000 up on the previous month.

The data suggests that there are currently nearly 9,000 people in England estimated to have been waiting for longer than 18 months to start their treatment, and the number of people waiting for longer than a year for treatment was also higher than the previous month, at just under 397,000.

Despite increasing waiting lists, the NHS is treating 10 per cent more patients than before the pandemic – 1.42 million people came off the waiting list in August, compared to 1.29m in August 2019.

Professor Peter Friend from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said record staff vacancies, increased demand and industrial action were all adding to the delays.

He said “Whilst NHS staff continue to work hard to reduce waiting lists, this is happening in extremely challenging circumstances – and that is before winter pressures hit.”

Prof Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said “We know that industrial action is also continuing to pile pressure on services and impact capacity adding a lot of pressure to hospitals before winter, coming on top of high levels of demand with last month seeing more 999 ambulance calls than any month this year as well as the busiest September ever for A&E attendances, up almost 8% on the same month last year.

“But despite this pressure, it is clear from today’s figures that NHS staff are working incredibly hard to deliver for patients with 10% more patients coming off the waiting list in August than the same month before the pandemic.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (jacquelinevance@chadlaw.co.uk), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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