NHS waiting list in England longest in 11 years

Official figures have revealed that the NHS waiting list is the longest for 11 years, and that 4.15 million patients are currently waiting for routine treatment, around six per cent of the whole of the UK population.

The news comes just as Britain is about to enter the winter months and could mean that the country is heading for another winter crisis.

NHS data has also recently showed that cancer treatment waiting times have been missed for the thirty second month in a row.

The data also revealed that it has been more than 18 months since the health service last hit its target of treating 92 per cent of patients within 18 weeks, and that only 79 per cent of patients started treatment within 62 days.

Responding to the news, Tom Sandford, director of the Royal College of Nursing, said “These figures sound the alarm bells for the NHS as we head towards winter.

“Admissions are up on last year an the four hour target has been missed evry months since July 2015.

“Perhaps most worryingly, the government’s 62 day referral target for urgent cancer treatment has not been met for five years.

“This represents untold suffering for patients and families who know all too well that a delay in beginning treatment can mean the difference between life and death.”

The NHS figures also showed that A&E departments are also getting busier and that there were two million attendances at A&E departments in England in September, with only 88.9 per cent of patients being seen to within the four hour target.

Mr Sandford went on to say “The lack of enough nursing staff to provide safe and effective care feeds into these systemic issues threatening to bring our health care system grinding to a halt as the cold weather sets in.

“Without the support of adequately trained social care and community services, people become sicker, until the only option is to admit them to hospital.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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