PATIENTS FACE LONGER WAIT

Rise in hospital treatment time

WAITING times for basic hospital procedures are at their longest since 2008 and now stretch beyond 18 weeks.

The NHS England statistics revealed over 382,000 patients had been waiting four-and-ahalf-months or more for routine treatments.

That is around one in ten of all people currently waiting for similar medical attention.

Targets in A&E and cancer treatment times are also being missed. Health bosses set a fourhour waiting period to be seen in emergencies and 62 days to be treated for cancer.

Clare Marx, of the Royal College of Surgeons, said: “Too many patients are waiting excessively long.” And she also added that she expected the situation to worsen given NHS England’s statement that it was willing to compromise waiting times to prioritise A&E and cancer.

Following the news, NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson called for “urgent action” to tackle the “unsustainable” issue.

He said: “These figures show there has been no respite for the NHS.

“The concerns about the ability of the health service to respond to growing demand -– which became so pressing during the winter – are still with us.

“It is clear that trusts are continuing to do all they can. But it is equally clear the situation is unsustainable.

“Despite political uncertainty, we need urgent decisions to ensure the NHS has the capacity to deal with the coming winter.

“And beyond that, to respond to longer term pressures.”

They spoke as uncertainty over Theresa May’s new Conservative government sparked fears of widespread chaos in the health service.

NHS professionals are concerned ministers will be distracted from shoring up public services.

The Royal College of Nursing has claimed nurses are quitting the profession because of low pay, long hours and stressful workplaces.

One in nine nursing posts in England is vacant, with some hospital rates at one in three.