The NHS waiting list for treatment has hit seven million people for the first time ever, as A&E trolley waits also hit a record high. New data from NHS England shows there were 7.0 million people waiting to start routine hospital treatment at the end of August.
This is up from 6.8 million in July and is the highest number since records began in August 2007. Meanwhile, the number of people enduring long trolley waits – referring to the time spent in A&E before people are found a bed on a hospital ward – has also risen.
The number waiting more than 12 hours in A&E departments in England from a decision to admit them to actually being admitted hit 32,776 people in September. This is up from 28,756 in August and is the highest number in records going back to August 2010.
Ambulances in England took an average of 47 minutes and 59 seconds in September to respond to emergency calls such as burns, epilepsy and strokes. This is up from 42 minutes and 44 seconds in August and well above the target of 18 minutes.
Response times for urgent calls, such as late stages of labour, non-severe burns and diabetes, averaged two hours, 42 minutes and 28 seconds. This is up from two hours, 16 minutes and 23 seconds in August.
NHS England figures show a record 255,055 urgent cancer referrals were made by GPs in England in August, the highest monthly total in records going back to 2009. However, only 75.6% of patients in England saw a specialist within two weeks that month against a 93% target, the second-worst performance on record.
Meanwhile, 69.5% of patients urgently referred for suspected cancer were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days in August, down from 71.1% the previous month and the second-worst performance in records going back to April 2021. The elective recovery plan sets a goal of March 2024 for 75% of patients who have been urgently referred by their GP for suspected cancer to be diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days.
