The NHS backlog has risen to a new record, official figures show, as young doctors embark on their longest-ever strike over pay.
More than 7.47 million patients in England – equivalent to one in eight people – were waiting for routine surgery at the end of May – an increase of 56,700 in just one month.
Of those who queued, 385,022 had been waiting for more than a year.
It comes as thousands of junior doctors went into the picket line from 7 a.m. this morning, kicking off a five-day strike that is expected to cancel thousands of appointments — hampering efforts to reduce the health department’s waiting list.
Health chiefs warned the strikes will be the most disruptive to date and a “black cloud” hanging over the health service.
More than 7.47 million patients in England – equivalent to one in eight people – were waiting for routine surgery at the end of May – an increase of 56,700 in just one month
It comes as thousands of junior doctors went into the picket line from 7 a.m. this morning, kicking off a five-day strike that is expected to cancel thousands of appointments — hampering efforts to reduce the health department’s waiting list
NHS figures show that 7.47 million people, often in pain, were waiting to start treatment at the end of May, up from 7.42 million in April. It is the highest figure since measurements began in August 2007.
The number of patients with a waiting period of more than a year increased from 371,111 in April to 385,022 in May. The government has committed to bring this figure to zero by March 2025.
In May, about 11,446 patients had been waiting for more than 18 months – slightly less than the 11,477 at the end of April.
But the government had set a goal of clearing this backlog by April, with the exception of those who have extremely complex cases or who chose to wait longer.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director of the NHS, said staff continue to make progress in reducing the longest waiting times despite strikes, high demand and bank holiday weekends.
It comes as trainee doctors – who make up about half of all hospital doctors in England – walked out today as part of a five-day strike that will last until 7am on July 18.
Just 48 hours later, consultants will go on a two-day strike. Radiographers from 43 NHS trusts will also walk away for two days from July 25.
Professor Powis said: ‘As staff continue to work hard to provide patients with the care they need, there is no doubt that this period of action is likely to have the greatest impact yet.’
The CEO of an NHS trust said today that growing backlogs and pressure from strikes are leading to rising tensions among workers. They added: “I don’t think you should underestimate the tensions and the potential risk of division this creates, between leaders and staff, but also between staff members themselves.”
Strikes have paralyzed healthcare for eight months, delaying or canceling 651,000 appointments and procedures so far.
The action by junior doctors, coordinated by the British Medical Association, is expected to be the most disruptive to date. Patients will be contacted if their appointment is cancelled, the NHS said,
Urgent care – through A&E departments and 999 – is still available, but patients have been told to contact NHS 111 or their local pharmacy for minor health concerns.
The union is demanding a 35 percent wage increase, which officials have labeled “unreasonable.”
The government previously offered a 5 percent increase, but would now consider a 6 to 6.5 percent increase for public sector workers, including junior doctors.
Doctors’ assistants in Scotland called a planned three-day strike this week after the Scottish government pledged to raise wages by more than 17 per cent in two years.
Dr. Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivendi, chair of the BMA Young Doctors Committee, said: ‘We need to start talking again’ and said the five-day strike was ‘not a record to go down in the history books’.
The pair added: “We can call off this strike today if the UK government simply follows the lead of the government in Scotland and drops their nonsensical condition of not talking while strikes are announced and make an offer that is credible to the doctors.” who they are. To talk with.’
Health Minister Steve Barclay said the strike action was ‘disappointing’ and that the five-day strike would impact ‘thousands of patients, endangering patient safety and efforts to reduce NHS waiting lists’ would hinder.
He said: ‘We were discussing pay and a range of other measures to improve the working life of junior doctors until their representatives broke down negotiations by announcing new strikes.
“A wage demand of 35 percent or more is unreasonable and threatens to fuel inflation, making everyone poorer.”
NHS Providers chief executive Sir Julian Hartley also called union action a ‘black cloud’ hanging over the health service, which is currently in its ‘most challenging period of operational pressure’.
In May, fewer than six in ten cancer patients (58.7 percent) were seen within two months of an urgent GP referral for their first treatment. According to the NHS target, the figure should be 85 per cent
Health bosses were forced to cancel 108,602 appointments and surgeries when junior doctors withdrew care for three days in June, including from cancer wards and ER. It brought the total number of postponements due to strike action by doctors in training, nurses and physiotherapists since December to 651,232
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to clear the backlog earlier this year, when the figure reached 7.2 million.
Wes Streeting, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, said: ‘Rishi Sunak promised to reduce waiting lists, but they are now higher than ever before.
“Patients wait months and months for operations, which are then canceled due to strikes.
Rishi Sunak blames NHS staff, but the public knows his refusal to negotiate is exacerbating the crisis in the NHS.
“Only Labor can build an NHS that’s ready for the future, so it’s there for us when we need it.”
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Daisy Cooper said the record number of waiting lists should be a ‘turning point’ for the government.
She said, “This shows another empty promise by Rishi Sunak placed on the scrap heap of broken promises.
“More than one in ten people in our country are now waiting for routine hospital treatment, and millions of them are now too sick to work.
Conservative ministers should hang their heads in shame – or better yet, step aside.
“The Conservatives are failing to resolve the crisis facing the NHS and social care and public health, and our economy is paying the price for that.”
Saffron Cordery, deputy director at NHS Providers, representing the NHS hospital, mental health, community and ambulance services, said the health service is under “relentless pressure”.
She said: ‘Chronic labor shortages and a lack of physical capacity by the NHS and social care are hampering trusts’ ability to improve waiting times and clear the backlog. In addition, the ongoing industrial action is increasing the demand for hospitals, ambulances, mental health care and community services.”
She urged the government to raise the wages of the striking staff to resolve the dispute.
Meanwhile, data from NHS England revealed today that cancer patients are having to wait longer.
Fewer than six in ten (58.7 percent) were seen within two months of an urgent GP referral for their first cancer treatment. According to the NHS target, the figure should be 85 per cent.
Professor Pat Price, a leading oncologist and chairman of Radiotherapy UK, said: ‘This is the second monthly drop in this crucial cancer treatment waiting target after the worst quarter on record. It is further evidence that we are caught in an accelerating cancer catastrophe.”
In total, 245,595 urgent cancer referrals were made by GPs in May, an increase of 13 percent from the 218,060 in April.
The proportion of cancer patients who went to a specialist within two weeks of being referred by their GP rose from 77.7 percent in April to 80.8 percent in May, but remained well below the target of 93 percent.
Meanwhile, 71.3 percent of patients urgently referred for suspected cancer were diagnosed or ruled out with cancer within 28 days. The NHS target is 75 per cent.
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: ‘Since Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made his pledge to reduce waiting lists in January, around 30,600 cancer patients in England have not received their vital cancer diagnosis and treatment within 62 days.
“Today’s figures for England not only represent excruciating waiting times for already anxious patients, they also expose the overstretched NHS services.”
She warned that NHS strikes are a concern for patients and urged medics and officials to ‘work together to ensure that cancer patient services continue to work’.