No10 blames putting medical doctors and nurses for ruining NHS hopes of eliminating 18-month waits 

Putting medical doctors and nurses have been blamed for the NHS failing to attain its goal of eliminating 18-month waits for care.

A file 7.3 million individuals have been on an NHS ready listing on the finish of March – up from 7.2 million in February – of which 10,737 had been ready greater than a yr and a half to begin routine remedy.

The Authorities and NHS England set the ambition of ending these waits by April this yr, excluding exceptionally complicated circumstances or sufferers who select to attend longer.

However the newest information reveals this goal has been missed, with solely 41 per cent of the ten,737 circumstances falling into these classes.

Well being service bosses have been compelled to cancel or postpone greater than half 1,000,000 appointments and operations because of industrial motion since December, together with walkouts by junior medical doctors, nurses, paramedics and physiotherapists.

In January, Rishi Sunak pledged NHS ready lists would fall and folks would get the care they want extra rapidly.

Nevertheless, the figures launched yesterday present the quantity in England ready to begin routine hospital remedy has risen to an all-time excessive.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman stated: ‘There might be a concentrate on the remaining 18-month waits, that are largely impacted by the economic motion into the winter pressures.’ A Division of Well being supply stated: ‘These figures present we’re delivering on the Prime Minister’s precedence to chop ready lists so individuals can get the care they want extra rapidly.

‘Strikes by some NHS employees have clearly had an influence, with tens of hundreds of appointments postponed, so it’s welcome that almost all well being unions agreed to simply accept our beneficiant pay supply earlier this month. We hope unions nonetheless in dispute will… determine it’s time to finish industrial motion.’

Tim Gardner, of the Well being Basis think-tank, stated: ‘With providers and employees underneath intense strain, sufferers proceed to pay the value. Resolving the present pay disputes ought to assist keep away from extra short-term disruption.’

NHS employees and their supporters attend the Save the NHS Mayday march organised by the UNITE Commerce Union from Westminster Bridge to Downing Avenue on Could 1, 2023 

Rory Deighton, from the NHS Confederation, which represents healthcare organisations, credited the ‘phenomenal efforts’ of NHS employees for decreasing 78-week waits from almost 125,000 procedures in September 2021 to round 10,700.

However he added: ‘This progress is regardless of the NHS dealing with big challenges, together with file emergency care pressures, a really tough winter which noticed excessive hospital mattress occupancy charges, and 5 months of disruptive industrial motion.’

The information additionally reveals {that a} key 62-day most cancers goal has been missed. The Authorities and NHS England set the ambition of returning the variety of sufferers ready greater than 62 days for remedy to pre-pandemic ranges by March.

The brand new information reveals that the variety of sufferers ready longer than 62 days since an pressing GP referral for suspected most cancers stood at 19,248 within the week ending April 2. The typical weekly determine for February 2020 – protecting the 4 weeks to March 1 – was 13,463.

In January, Rishi Sunak (pictured on Wednesday) pledged NHS ready lists would fall and folks would get the care they want extra rapidly

Professor Pat Value, from the Catch Up With Most cancers marketing campaign, stated: ‘These quarterly NHS most cancers figures are the worst on file.

‘They present regardless of the heroic efforts of the front-line employees, most cancers sufferers are prone to proceed to die from ready in addition to from most cancers itself.’ The variety of kids awaiting consultant-led remedy has reached an all-time excessive, with 403,955 on the ready listing, of which 17,991 have been ready for greater than a yr.

Dr Camilla Kingdon, president of the Royal School of Paediatrics and Little one Well being, described the figures as a ‘nationwide scandal’.

Amanda Pritchard, chief govt of NHS England, stated: ‘The nice strides the NHS is making on lengthy waits, pressing and emergency care and most cancers providers within the face of unbelievable strain is testimony to the exhausting work, drive and innovation of frontline colleagues.’

Mr Sunak stated: ‘Lowering 18-month waits by over 90 per cent is large progress, and it’s testomony to the exhausting work of NHS employees who’ve achieved this regardless of one of many busiest winters on file.’