“Time for a reset on the NHS,” says Ashworth as waiting lists hit 5 million

Jonathan Ashworth has argued that it is “time for a reset on the NHS” after reporting from the health service revealed that the number of people waiting for treatment in England at the end of March stood at almost five million.

Following the publication of the figures today, which also show that 436,127 of those patients had been waiting more than 52 weeks, the Shadow Health Secretary said it represented a “devastating verdict” on over a decade of Tory government.

“This week the five million patients waiting for treatment needed a Queen’s Speech that delivered an NHS rescue plan to provide timely treatment for those waiting for health care,” Ashworth said this morning. “These shocking levels of unmet care needs risk serious illness and permanent disability for thousands of people.

“This is a devastating verdict on 11 years of underfunding, cuts, understaffing and neglect of social care that left both health and care services weakened and exposed when the pandemic hit. We entered the crisis with sky-high waiting lists, cancer targets missed and young people denied mental health support. It’s time for a reset on the NHS to deliver the care patients deserve.”

4.7 million people in England were on NHS waiting lists in February. As of March, that figure stands at 4.95 million, the highest since records began in 2007. In March 2020, before Covid hit, the number of people on waiting lists was 3,097.

The reporting today also showed the highest number of year-long waiters since 2007, when 578,682 had been waiting more than 12 months, and an increase on the figures for February when 387,000 had been waiting more than 52 weeks.

Ashworth has repeatedly pressed the government to explain how it intends to bring down waiting lists, calling last month for a “fully resourced rescue plan” to prioritise patient care in the recovery from the pandemic and demanding that ministers:

• Provide a quarterly plan on action being taken to bring down waiting lists;
• Deliver an “NHS rescue plan” to ensure the health service has the staff and equipment to deliver cancer care, surgery and mental health care;
• Strengthen the NHS constitution to eliminate waits over 52 weeks; and
• Give NHS staff a “fair pay rise”.

A departmental spokesperson said at the time: “Our NHS has faced huge challenges over the past year due to Covid and we continue to support our incredible health and care staff who have kept services open for thousands of patients.

“This government will back the NHS at every turn, making available £63bn in health services over the last year and an additional £29bn next year. This includes £1bn to support NHS recovery by incentivising providers to address backlogs and tackle long waiting lists which have built up because of the pandemic.

“Over one million NHS staff have benefited from a multi-year pay deal agreed with trade unions, which delivered a pay rise of over 12% for newly qualified nurses.”

To reduce the backlog, NHS England announced £160m of funds for new pilots and five specialist children’s hospitals but has not provided detail on how the additional work will be staffed despite existing vacancies in the health service.