The number of people waiting more than a year for NHS treatment has risen, while progress on tackling overall waits has stalled, official figures reveal.
Health analysts have warned that the waiting list in England remains “stubbornly high”, with millions of people suffering or unable to work.
Figures from NHS England show the backlog of routine hospital treatment remained unchanged in March, following five consecutive monthly falls.
It is estimated that at the end of the month there were 7.54 million treatments pending, corresponding to 6.29 million patients, the same figures as in February.
The list reached a record in September 2023 with 7.77 million treatments and 6.50 million patients.
Other data published today shows a mixed picture, with success in the number of people being treated for a cancer diagnosis, but with an increase in waits of more than a year for treatment.
Siva Anandaciva, chief analyst at the King’s Fund, a health think tank, said: “As the NHS emerges from a tough winter, it is encouraging to see some green shoots in today’s statistics showing improvements have been made in several key measures”. of cancer care.
‘In March, 77 per cent of people had cancer diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days of referral, exceeding the national target of 75 per cent.
“But the road ahead to make further progress in recovering performance in other areas of the NHS, including reducing long waiting times for planned care and emergencies, will be long.
‘The hospital waiting list remains stubbornly high: 7.5 million in March, representing 6.3 million people waiting for treatment, often in pain or unable to work.
“Agency departments also remain under extreme pressure as we approach summer, with more than 2.2 million attendances in April and only 74 per cent of people seen within four hours.”
The proportion of patients in England who waited no more than 62 days in March from an urgent referral for suspected cancer or a consultant update to their first definitive cancer treatment was 68.7 per cent, up from 63.9 per cent. cent in February. The goal is 85 percent.
GPs in England made 254,594 urgent cancer referrals in March, slightly up from 253,025 in February but down from 260,560 in March 2023.
Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said: “NHS staff are working tirelessly to reduce the waiting list and today’s data shows the biggest six-month reduction in more than 10 years outside of the pandemic.”
‘This is a significant achievement against the backdrop of record pressures and strikes, and NHS analysis shows the roll could have fallen by a further 430,000 from December 2022 without a strike.
“We have also met our goal of ensuring that more than 75 per cent of patients undergoing cancer testing receive a diagnosis or a full diagnosis within 28 days of referral, giving patients the all-clear or a diagnosis sooner.” “.
Some 309,300 people in England had been waiting more than 52 weeks to start routine hospital treatment at the end of March, up from 305,050 at the end of February.
The Government and NHS England have set an ambition to eliminate all waits longer than a year by March 2025.
There were 48,968 patients who had been waiting more than 65 weeks to start treatment at the end of March, up from 75,004 in February.
The goal of eliminating all waits longer than 65 weeks has now been moved to September 2024, from previously March 2024.
Wes Streeting, Labour’s shadow health secretary, said: “The Conservatives have failed to deliver on their promise to end waits of more than 65 weeks and waiting lists are not decreasing.”
“Rishi Sunak has broken every promise he has made to the NHS, leaving patients waiting months in pain and discomfort.”
Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat health spokesperson, said: “Rishi Sunak would be completely wrong if he thought this was an NHS in recovery.”
‘Too many people are still waiting in pain, not knowing if they will receive the treatment they need in time.
“It is an unacceptable situation.”
NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: “Today’s figures show how hard NHS staff are working to provide the best possible care for patients despite current significant demand and a difficult road ahead. of recovery”.