CRITICAL CONDITION... HOW DELAYS HAVE ROCKETED
to disruption caused by the pandemic, which could affect their prognosis.” Meanwhile, almost 330,000 patients had been waiting more than six weeks for a key diagnostic test in February – up from 29,832 a year ago.
NHS England said another 327,663 people were waiting for one of 15 standard medical tests – including MRI scans, non-obstetric ultrasounds and gastroscopies.
The number of people admitted to hospital for routine treatment plummeted by 47 per cent – from 285,918 in February 2020 to 152,642 this year.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was quick to pledge the Government will ensure the NHS has the funds it needs to tackle the build-up in waiting lists. He said yesterday: “We do need people to take up their appointments and to get the treatment they need.
“We’re going to make sure that we give the NHS all the funding it needs – as we have done throughout the pandemic – to beat the backlog.”
Urgent
NHS England said a £1billion elective recovery fund will help trusts catch up on operations and other services.
It added every area of the country is being asked to “maximise their capacity
to provide care for as many urgent and non-urgent patients as possible”.
NHS England National Medical Director Professor Stephen Powis praised his staff. He said: “Treating 400,000 patients with Covid-19 over the course of the last year has inevitably had an impact on the NHS.
“However it is testament to the hard work and dedication of staff that they managed to deliver almost two million ops and procedures in the face of the winter wave and improve waiting times for them, along with A&E and ambulance services.”