The latest NHS statistics show the number of people on waiting lists has reached a new high of 5.45 million – including 304,803 patients waiting more than one year.
The figures also reveal heavy pressures on emergency services as ambulances saw the highest number of 999 calls on record, as well as record numbers of callouts for life threatening conditions.
The latest statistics reveal that over 252,354 people were waiting for heart diagnosis or treatment, including invasive heart procedures and heart surgery, at the end of June in England – the highest number on record.
Of those waiting, 53,140 had been waiting over 18 weeks – this is more than one in five of everyone waiting for a heart surgery or other invasive procedure at the end of June 2021.
President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Katherine Henderson, said:
“The NHS has been running hot for months now and these figures show we are nearly at boiling point.
“We are worried that the public think that things are getting back to normal on the virtual eve of a further reduction in restrictions, and messages from the centre that says things are OK are disingenuous – the reality is that the health service is really struggling.
“Four-hour performance has sunk to its lowest ever level, we have levels of 12 hour waits we would usually associate with winter, and July saw the second highest ever number of attendances across emergency care units. Yet there is no sign of rescue ahead of winter. Despite our calls for action, crowding is back with us and is compromising patient care.”
