Waiting lists for routine NHS treatments have increased for the third month in a row, despite signs of improvement in cancer care figures.
Data shows there were an estimated 7.62 million treatments in queue in England at the end of June, equating to 6.39 million patients. That’s a slight increase from 7.60 million treatments and 6.37 million patients at the end of the previous month.
But the percentage of patients who waited no longer than 62 days from an emergency referral for suspected cancer – or an upgrade to a specialist – to their first definitive cancer treatment in June was 67.4 percent, up from 65.8 percent in May. The target is 85 percent.
In 76.3 percent of patients referred urgently in June due to suspected cancer, the diagnosis was made or cancer was ruled out within 28 days.
That is a slight decrease from the 76.4 percent of the previous month, but is above the target of 75 percent. It is only the fourth time that the target has been exceeded since it was introduced in the fall of 2021.
Waiting lists for routine NHS treatments have grown for the third month in a row – although there are signs of improvement in cancer care figures. Data shows an estimated 7.62 million treatments were still awaiting delivery in England at the end of June (stock image)
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: ‘It will take time to get the NHS back on track. But we are working day and night to get the NHS back on its feet so it can be there for all of us when we need it.’
While the total number of people waiting for routine care increased, the figures show a sharp decline in the number of people waiting for treatment. Some 2,621 patients waited more than 18 months to start routine treatment in June, a sharp decline from 4,597 in May.
Other figures show that 75.2 per cent of patients in England were seen in emergency departments within four hours last month, up from 74.6 per cent in June and the highest level since September 2021. The NHS recovery plan set a target that 76 per cent of patients attending emergency departments would be admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours by March this year.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting claimed the figures “confirm that 14 years of Conservative neglect has destroyed the NHS”.
He added: ‘It will take time to get the NHS back on its feet. But we are working day and night to get the NHS back on its feet so that it can be there for all of us when we need it.’
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: ‘Emergency staff are under huge pressure and the NHS is in the midst of what could be its busiest summer ever. In the last two months alone, there have been a total of 4.6 million visits. 2024 has been the three busiest months ever for the emergency department.
Louise Ansari (pictured), chief executive of Healthwatch England, said: ‘We are concerned that the progress made in recent months in accelerating both cancer diagnosis and initiation of cancer treatment is slowing down’
‘While we have seen improvements in the number of patients seen and treated in the Emergency Department within four hours, ambulance response times have been reduced slightly and over three quarters of cancer patients are given a ‘clear’ or diagnosis within four weeks, it is clear that waiting times for patients across services are still unacceptable and much remains to be done to ensure timely care is provided to those who need it.’
Louise Ansari, chief executive of Healthwatch England, said: ‘We are concerned that the progress made in recent months in accelerating both cancer diagnosis and the start of cancer treatment is slowing down.
‘Despite some progress towards the referral to treatment target, the NHS is still falling short of the operational target that 85 per cent of patients should wait less than two months between an emergency referral and the start of treatment.
‘Urgent action is needed to ensure that timely diagnosis and treatment of cancer becomes the norm for all patients in England.’
