Nearly half of the 6.23 million people awaiting NHS treatment in England have received no further care since being referred by their GP, new data reveals. The figures, seen exclusively by the Guardian, show that 2.99 million patients (48%) have not had a first specialist appointment or diagnostic test.
The Patients Association described the situation as an “invisible waiting list crisis” of “staggering” scale, with millions left in limbo as their health deteriorates. “These aren’t just statistics. They’re people checking their phones daily for hospital calls that never come,” said chief executive Rachel Power.
The data raises doubts about the government’s pledge to ensure 92% of patients are treated within 18 weeks by 2029. One million of the unseen patients have already waited more than 18 weeks. The target has not been met since 2015 and currently stands at 61%.
Analysis by health data specialist MBI Health found that ear, nose and throat care, orthopaedics, eye care, gastroenterology and gynaecology have the highest proportion of unseen patients, accounting for 67% to 75% of their waiting lists. Barry Mulholland, MBI’s founder, said the waiting list should be seen as a “frontlog” as so many patients have not had their first clinical contact.
NHS England acknowledged the scale of the problem, noting that of 7.3 million treatments patients are waiting for, 4.7 million (64%) are for patients who have not yet seen a specialist or had a test. Of these, 1.6 million have already exceeded the 18-week target.
