Waiting lists currently stand at a record 7.75 million.
NHS waiting lists could top eight million by next summer, regardless of whether medics continue striking over pay, according to new analysis.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made tackling waiting lists a priority at the beginning of 2023, but the Government has since blamed ongoing strikes in the NHS for making the issue more challenging. However, the Health Foundation’s analysis only includes disruption caused by the junior doctor and consultants strikes, due to the direct impact on the waiting list for consultant-led care.Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive at NHS Providers, said the report “will fuel trust leaders’ concerns that the record-high waiting list will keep growing before it comes down”.
He added: “Eliminating the backlog for elective care and returning waiting times to 18 weeks is entirely possible – it was done in the early 2000s and it can be done again. However, it will be very challenging and will require sustained focus, policy action and investment.” “Waiting lists have ballooned over the past decade due to underinvestment and workforce shortages,” he added.“While industrial action has contributed to delays, the roots of this crisis precede the strikes.”
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