NHS waiting lists in England have now reached the highest levels since records were started 15 years ago, with 6.2 million people currently waiting to begin routine treatments - the highest it’s been since August 2007.
Of the 6.2 million people on the waiting list, 23,281 have been waiting for over two years. This is approximately nine times more than those who had been waiting this long in April last year, although NHS England did note that numbers have dropped from the 23,778 seen at the end of January 2022.
Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, described the situation as “deeply concerning”, going on to add: “There is not a chance of a recovery of elective care until the systemic problems beleaguering urgent and emergency care are sorted effectively and long term.”
Off the back of this, a new report from private health sector analysts LaingBuisson has just revealed that growing numbers of people are now opting to pay for private medical treatment because of the delays being faced trying to gain access to NHS care.
Savings are now increasingly being used to pay for procedures such as cataract removals, joint replacements and diagnostic tests.
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