How the NHS waiting list reached its highest level in months
- The NHS waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England rose to 7.33 million in July, reaching its highest level in nine months.
- A record 7.3 million A&E attendances and 2.4 million ambulance callouts were logged between June and August during the busiest summer in NHS history.
- Health secretary Yvette Cooper warned that extreme demand on the health service is no longer confined to the winter months.
- More than 111,000 patients had been waiting over a year for routine care by the end of July, casting doubt on Labour’s 2029 waiting time targets.
- An average of 2,973 patients each day received corridor care in August as health leaders highlighted the impact of extreme weather and structural issues.
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