Last month, the number of twelve-hour waits in A&E departments in England exceeded 40,000 for the first time ever – an increase of 11,000 in one month. Waiting lists for consultant-led treatment have grown by some 70,000 patients, having passed seven million in September. Ambulance response times, too, are back up over an hour on average.
The latest NHS statistics come a week after ONS figures revealed that, on average, the number of excess deaths is currently higher than during the pandemic. This is at least in part due to treatment delays during the pandemic – delays which show no sign of improving anytime soon. Now the Royal College of Nursing has announced plans to go on nationwide strike for the first time in their history, meaning the NHS faces operating with ‘bank holiday’ staffing levels.
This morning’s monthly NHS statistical release suggests things are about to get worse. Here’s what it tells us:
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