Year-long waits for treatment rise 100-fold

THE number of patients waiting more than a year for NHS treatment has risen 100-fold in 12 months, figures show, with more than 4.3 million people now on waiting lists.

Across England, 139,545 people had waited more than 52 weeks to start treatment as of September this year – the highest number for any calendar month since September 2008. In September 2019, the figure was just 1,305.

The data from NHS England also show 1.72 million people were waiting more than 18 weeks to start treatment in September, up sharply on the equivalent figure for September 2019 of 672,112.

Overall, 4.35 million people are now waiting to start treatment after being referred. Experts have warned the figures “clearly show the pressures the system is under” and that each statistic is a person waiting “potentially in pain”.

Prof Neil Mortensen, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said the figures “really bring home” the impact of the pandemic on the NHS.

“Thousands of patients who were already waiting for surgery when Covid struck have paid a heavy price. It is tragic to see so many lives put on hold,” he said. “Each statistic represents someone waiting patiently, potentially in pain, for the treatment they need to get on with living an independent life.”

The figures also show that cancer wait times appear to be increasing. The number of patients seen by a consultant within two weeks of an urgent GP referral dropped to 86.2 per cent in September, down from 87.8 per cent in August and 90.4 per cent in July.

An NHS spokesman said: “It is clear that where there are higher levels of Covid we are seeing an impact on routine, non-urgent care.”