Recovery plan to tackle record NHS waiting lists in England unveiled by government

The government has unveiled its plan to tackle record NHS waiting lists in England as officials aim to get core health services back on track as the pandemic eases.

Nearly six million people in England were waiting to start routine hospital treatment in November, with NHS figures showing that 5.7 million people were on waiting lists at the end of August – the highest figure since records began in August 2007.

Unveiling the NHS Elective Recovery Plan in the commons on Tuesday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he expects to see the waiting list backlog for non-emergency surgery start to reduce from March 2024 under the government’s “ambitious” measures.

But he warned that the number of people waiting for non-emergency surgery could rise before it falls.

Mr Javid said ten million people are estimated to have stayed away from the NHS during the pandemic.

The health secretary told MPs that despite the NHS’s “exceptional efforts”, there is “now a considerable COVID backlog of elective care”.

Announcing the plan, he said: “1,600 people have waited longer than a year for care before the pandemic. The latest data shows that this figure is now over 300,000.

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“On top of this, the number of people waiting for elective care in England now stands at six million – that is up from 4.4 million before the pandemic. Sadly, this number will continue rising before it falls.”

The health secretary continued: “I want these people to know that the NHS is open. I want them to come forward for the care they need.”

Speaking yesterday, the prime minister confirmed a target that three-quarters of suspected cancer patients will be diagnosed or have the disease ruled out within 28 days.

The original plan was for this target to be introduced in 2021, but it was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Boris Johnson also said that by March 2023, no one would have to wait longer than two months to find out if they have cancer.

The PM said he was “working to set some tough targets so that we are able to deliver both for the patients and for the taxpayers”.

A senior health source told Sky News: “The plan will set out tough targets. We are determined to tackle the backlog through investment and reform.”

Speaking to Sky News on Monday, Mr Javid announced a new online platform called My Planned Care which aims to allow those needing non-urgent surgery to see where they are on the waiting list.

“Every individual on the waiting list will be able to see where they are on the list,” Mr Javid said, adding that the government wants to “provide as much transparency as possible” to people in regard to the backlog.

He also denied that the Treasury had blocked the announcement, telling Sky News the Omicron variant had caused the delay.

His comments come after reports in The Daily Telegraph suggested the Treasury refused to sign off the NHS backlog plans in a last-minute intervention over the weekend.

Conservative chairman of the commons health and social care committee Jeremy Hunt also described the delay in publishing the plan as “extremely disappointing”.

The prime minister warned reporters on Monday that waiting lists will increase before they improve.

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