In a concerning development, the National Health Service (NHS) in England has witnessed an alarming surge in waiting lists, hitting an all-time high. Recent data reveals that 7.75 million individuals were waiting to commence treatment by the end of August, marking a steady increase from the 7.68 million recorded in July. This figure stands as the highest since records began in August 2007, despite Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s commitment to reducing waiting lists.
One significant factor contributing to the prolonged waits is the ongoing strikes by doctors, which the government acknowledges as having a substantial impact on the NHS’s ability to alleviate the situation. As a result, the strikes have led to the rescheduling of approximately 10,000 outpatient appointments by hospital trusts.
