Are NHS failures making us poorer?

The NHS has a crisis every winter, but this year’s is on a different scale. Before a wave of strikes puts patients and care at risk, stats released by NHS England this morning show a health service already on the brink.

Last month, the number of 12-hour waits in A&E departments in England exceeded 37,800, having hit almost 44,000 the month before: a decrease, but a worrying number still. Waiting lists for consultant-led treatment have grown by 74,000 cases and now stand at 7.2 million. Ambulance waiting times are still far higher than they should be too: now at 48 minutes. All of this before the going really gets tough.

Here’s what this morning’s monthly NHS statistical release tells us:

1. Hospital waiting lists continue to grow

Hospital waiting lists in England currently stand at 7.2 million and they’re likely to get worse – already they are up nearly 74,000 in a single month.