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The number of individuals in England awaiting routine hospital treatment has surged to a record high, with an estimated 7.68 million people on the waiting list by the end of July. This figure represents an increase from 7.57 million in June and marks the highest level since records began in August 2007. Worryingly, it also signifies the eighth consecutive month of rising waiting times.
Moreover, the data reveals that 389,952 people in England had been waiting for more than a year for routine hospital treatment by the end of July. Among them, 7,289 individuals had waited for over 18 months. These numbers are up from 383,083 and 7,177, respectively, at the end of June.
The government and NHS England had set ambitious goals to eliminate waits of over 18 months by April of this year, except for highly complex cases or patients choosing longer waits, and to eliminate waits of over a year by March 2025.
Additionally, cancer referral and diagnosis times have come under scrutiny. In July, 77.5% of cancer patients saw a specialist within two weeks of referral, falling short of the 93% target, which is set to be dropped from October. On a more positive note, 74.1% of patients referred urgently for suspected cancer were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days, inching closer to the 75% target.
The government recently announced an extra £200 million in funding for the NHS to cope with the increased demand and mounting waiting lists during the winter months. However, the ongoing challenge remains to address the growing backlog of patients waiting for essential treatments and procedures.
