The latest NHS performance data show that the waiting list for routine hospital treatment rose again in June, (for the third consecutive month), to 7.6 million. The number of patients waiting more than 18 months to start treatment fell from 4,597 in May to 2,621 in the latest data, and there was also a slight drop in the number waiting more than 52 weeks. However, the number waiting more than 65 weeks increased. The target to completely eliminate these waits has moved to September 2024.
Commenting on the latest monthly NHS performance data, Danielle Jefferies, Senior Analyst at The King’s Fund, points out that the figures are particularly worrying because the NHS should be working now to prepare for winter, but instead Trusts are using resource to tackle immediate pressures.
“These figures are a stark reminder that the pressure in the NHS is not going away, as it continues to grapple with ongoing industrial action, tight public finances, and a rise in the number of beds occupied by patients with Covid-19,” she says.
“The new government will need to be clear on how it will support the NHS and patients going into a difficult winter and will face difficult decisions on how to recover NHS performance.”
A&E performance
The statistics also show it has been three years since A&E performance was above the current interim target of 78% of people waiting under four hours, and four years since the 18-minute target for the average ambulance response time to conditions such as strokes and heart attacks was met.
“Behind each of these missed targets is a patient waiting too long for the care they need,” Danielle adds. “The independent review of the state of the NHS by Lord Darzi is welcome, but we must be realistic that it may take years before the NHS once again meets its waiting time targets.”
She cautions: “Many will share the government’s ambition to improve care for patients. But there is clearly a very rocky path ahead before we see the NHS back on its feet.”
Performance & expectations
The Labour government has made it clear that recovering NHS performance is a 10-year task, with the new Secretary of State, Wes Streeting, describing the service as “broken.” The latest survey of public satisfaction with health and social care, carried out by ipsos and published by the Health Foundation on Friday (August 9), finds that the British people are under no illusion about the extent of the problems facing the NHS. The polling for this survey took place in May shortly before the General Election was called. It found that only 28% of the public think the NHS is providing a good service, and more than half think the situation will get worse over the next year.
There is support for NHS staff; the public’s top priority is reducing the number of staff leaving the NHS by improving working conditions (39%), closely followed by making it easier to get a GP appointment (34%).
Tim Gardner, Assistant Director of Policy at the Health Foundation says: “The new government has made a promising start in reaching an agreement with union leaders to settle industrial action by junior doctors and NHS staff will welcome the decision to accept the NHS Pay Review Body recommendations. However, the challenges facing the NHS are considerable. There are no quick fixes, but the NHS can recover with the right mix of policy change, innovation and investment.”
