NHS bosses call for a £1 billion bailout from the Treasury to avert a ‘profound financial crisis’ following doctor strikes

NHS bosses have called for an extra billion pounds to avert a “deep financial crisis” after a wave of devastating strikes this autumn.

The appeal to the Treasury came as the number awaiting routine procedures reached a record 7.75 million yesterday – equivalent to almost one in seven people.

NHS bosses, who blame this year’s doctors’ strikes for the deficit, say they will have to abandon attempts to cut waiting lists if they do not get their finances under control.

Strikes have cost hospitals more than £700m this financial year, with forecasts suggesting the deficit could reach around £1.5bn if strikes continue through the winter.

Hospitals have been forced to pay consultants up to £6,000 per shift to support striking colleagues.

NHS England bosses have now asked the Treasury for “compensation” for the costs of the strikes but have not yet received a final response, The Times reported.

Matthew Taylor, head of the NHS Confederation, said: “If we don’t get money in the autumn bill we will be in a deep financial crisis. “And you can forget about progress on things like waiting lists.”

NHS England chief financial officer Julian Kelly told a board meeting last week that despite industrial action there had been no “productivity and efficiency improvements”.

Insiders warned that the next few months could be “horrific” for patients. Thea Stein, chief executive of think tank Nuffield Trust, said there had been an “alarming” lack of progress in clearing the backlog before winter.

She added: “Reducing record waiting times is a key promise of both major political parties, but achieving this task still appears to be a long way off.”

Monthly NHS performance data shows pressures are increasing as waiting times in A&E, A&E and cancer care rise.

Officials warned that strikes by medical workers demanding a pay rise of up to 35 percent would lead to a reduction in hospital capacity.