NHS wait list rise reveals ‘huge mountain’ to climb to fix ‘broken’ health service

NHS waiting lists have risen to their highest level this year at 7.6million.

The second monthly rise in a row is a setback for hospitals and shows the new Government has a mountain to climb to fix the “broken” health service.

Medics also said they had the busiest ever June in A&E with 2.3million visitors and extra stress from the heatwave and doctors’ strikes.

NHS England’s medical director, Prof Sir Stephen Powis, admitted: “Everyone recognises that waiting times are currently far from what the public have a right to expect.”

Figures show the number of people waiting for treatment increased from 6.29m in March to 6.38m in May.

The number had reduced between September and March but has rebounded.

The new government has a tough road ahead

Professor Vivien LeesThe Royal College of Surgeons in England

Meanwhile the NHS continued to miss targets on seeing people quickly in A&E and starting cancer treatment on time.

It comes as the new Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, announced a “warts and all” audit of NHS performance.

Sarah Scobie, of the Nuffield Trust think-tank, said: “These figures underline the enormous uphill battle the new government faces to get the NHS back on track.”

The Health Foundation said they were “a stark reminder of the huge mountain to climb”.

Professor Vivien Lees of the Royal College of Surgeons said: “The new government has a tough road ahead to cut NHS waiting times as promised. 

“Hundreds of thousands of patients have been on waiting lists for months and even years.

“They will be hopeful that plans for the NHS outlined during the election will be put into action quickly.”