The number of people waiting for NHS treatment increased by more than 31,000 in May to go back above 7.6 million people, according to official data.
The data showed the number of referral to treatment (RTT) pathways where a patient was waiting to start treatment was 7,603,812, up from 7,572,563 in April and the first time numbers have exceeded 7.6 million people since the end of last year.
Among the 7.6 million, in 307,500 cases the patient was waiting more than a year, in 55,955 cases they were waiting more than 65 weeks, in 4,597 cases they were waiting more than 78 weeks, and in 259 cases they were waiting more than two years.
In 59.1% of cases the patient had been waiting up to 18 weeks and so was not meeting the 92% standard.
During May, 1,792,092 new RTT pathways were started and 312,925 pathways were completed as a result of admitted treatment and 1,209,902 were completed in other ways (non-admitted).
For those pathways where the patient was waiting to start treatment at the end of May, the median waiting time was 14.2 weeks and the 92nd percentile waiting time was 44.9 weeks.
Simply waiting too long
David Hare, CEO of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), said the latest figures show that millions of NHS patients are still waiting simply too long to get the care they need, preventing them from leading the productive and fulfilling lives they deserve.
“The new government’s election manifesto made clear that a key part of tackling the NHS backlog is through making use of capacity in the independent sector – one of its most popular policies with the public,” Hare said.
“Independent providers are already playing their role in supporting the NHS – last year activity by the sector removed more than 1.5 million people from the NHS waiting list – but are ambitious and positive about what more they can do to speed up patients’ access to high quality care.
“The Secretary of State was right to state this this week that cutting waiting lists is his number one priority to build a healthy society and a healthy economy.
“With the public eager to see improvements in the care they receive, the sector is ready to play its part to support this important mission, whether through investing in new services; working with our colleagues in the NHS to improve efficiency and productivity of services; or supporting a bigger push on patient choice so that the public can exercise their rights in accessing the fastest possible care.”
Hard to disagree the NHS is broken
Sarah Woolnough, CEO of The King’s Fund, said new health secretary Wes Streeting’s declaration on his first day in office that the NHS is broken was “hard to disagree with.
“Funding might be tight, but in many ways the space has now been created to drive much-needed reform of the NHS,” Woolnough said.
“The public can see it’s needed, these statistics show it’s needed, and the Secretary of State is willing to say it’s needed.
“Prior to winning the general election, the Labour Party pledged to return the NHS to meeting performance standards by the end of this parliament if it was to form the new government.
“NHS performance is currently well below many of the level patients rightly expect and which are set out as rights and pledges in the NHS Constitution.
“Today’s figures show 75% of people waited under four hours in A&E, when the target is 95%; only 59% of patients waited under 18 weeks for planned hospital treatment, when the target is 92%; and, the average ambulance response time to conditions like strokes and heart attacks was over 34 minutes when the standard is 18 minutes.
“The figures show the next five months, let alone the next five years, will be far from plain sailing.
“The new government will face choices and dilemmas over how quickly it can improve NHS performance when finances remain tight.
“The government will also have to balance the immediate focus on improving NHS waiting times and early planning for the traditionally tough winter period, with their welcome longer-term reforms to move more care into the community.
“The prize of shorter waiting times and better patient care would be a good goal for any government. But it will not be easily won.”
Stark reminder
Tim Gardner, assistant director of policy at the Health Foundation, said today’s figures serve as a “stark reminder of the huge mountain to climb”.
“The NHS waiting time standards Labour has pledged to meet by the end of this parliament have now been routinely missed for nearly a decade,” Gardner said.
“Performance is at or close to the worst levels on record, with 7.6 million waiting for routine hospital care and a quarter waiting over four hours in A&E.
“The latest GP patient survey shows that while patients’ overall experience of general practice remains positive, too many people are struggling to get through to their practice.
“The government’s recent announcement of renewed focus on NHS performance is welcome, but as these data show there is no time for delaying the urgent action that is needed.
“The government has made economic growth its primary mission but a thriving economy can only be built on the foundations of a healthy population.
“To succeed, the government must take a long-term approach to create a strong, sustainable NHS alongside renewed action on the wider social and economic factors that shape people’s health.”