More than 100,000 patients were added to the NHS waiting list in June, bringing the backlog to 7.57 million patients, up from 7.47 million in May and up 574,649 from the end of last year, according to the latest NHS England data.
Moreover, the statistics for Cancer waiting times reveal that the time from a GP referral to the first Consultant appointment remains well under the NHS target of 93 per cent. Specifically, in June, the percentage stood at 80.5 per cent, which is nearly identical to the figures of 80.8 per cent in May and 80.3 per cent recorded at the close of 2022.
Broadstone head of health & protection Brett Hill says: “Despite increasingly urgent political rhetoric it is evident that the enormous challenges facing the NHS are going to get worse before they get better.
“The backlog for treatment continues to grow month on month, which means more people will be waiting for diagnoses and treatment driving further deterioration in the health of the nation. Of particular concern are waiting times for NHS cancer care, with the waiting time between GP referral and the first Consultant appointment well below where it should be.
“This is no longer just a public health issue but a huge social and economic problem that the government must deal with. Employers are grappling with lower productivity, increased absenteeism and staff shortages as ill-health feeds into corporate performance.
“We are consequently seeing growing demand from businesses across all private healthcare options from preventative options like virtual GPs and screening services through to company-funded private medical insurance and group risk cover. The health, or ill-health, of the nation is now a key priority for CEOs and we expect that to remain the case over the mid-term.”
