In a significant development for England's health service, the waiting list for routine hospital treatment has seen a slight decrease, prompting Health Secretary Wes Streeting to declare the NHS is 'now on the road to recovery'.
A Turning Point for NHS Waiting Lists
New official data reveals that the overall waiting list for planned treatment, which had been rising throughout the summer months of June, July, and August, finally fell in September. By the end of that month, an estimated 7.39 million treatments were awaiting completion, a figure relating to 6.24 million patients. This marks a reduction from the 7.41 million treatments and 6.25 million patients recorded at the end of August.
This drop is particularly notable when viewed against the record high reached in September 2023, when the list ballooned to 7.77 million treatments and 6.50 million patients.
Government Response and Winter Challenges
Health Secretary Wes Streeting was quick to attribute the positive shift to government policy. "Thanks to the investment and modernisation this Government has made, waiting lists are falling and patients are being treated sooner," he stated. He emphasised a strategy of cutting bureaucratic waste to reinvest billions into frontline care and confirmed that the upcoming Budget will protect NHS investment.
Mr Streeting added, "The past year is the first time in 15 years that waiting lists have fallen. There’s a long way to go, but the NHS is now on the road to recovery."
However, this progress comes amidst significant winter pressures. NHS England reported that October saw record levels for both A&E attendances and ambulance incidents. Furthermore, the health service is bracing for a five-day strike by resident doctors in England, set to begin on Friday.
Vaccination Drive and Public Appeal
On a positive note, the NHS's autumn flu vaccination campaign is showing strong results. So far, 14.4 million flu jabs have been administered (14,419,345), which is approximately 160,000 more than at the same point last year.
Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS national medical director, acknowledged the effort behind reducing the waiting list but warned of a difficult winter. "It is fantastic news that the health service managed to get the waiting list down in September, but there’s no doubt NHS staff will be approaching their limits this winter," she said.
Professor Pandit highlighted that "flu is peaking early and looking like it will be long lasting," while the impending industrial action follows the busiest October in A&E history. She urged the public to help by getting their flu, Covid, and RSV jabs if eligible, using NHS 111 for non-urgent needs, and reserving 999 and A&E for genuine, life-threatening emergencies, especially during the strikes.
