Our response to September's NHS Combined Performance Summary

Our response to the NHS Combined Performance Summary for September.

Press release

Published: 10/11/2016

Commenting on the Combined Performance Summary for September published this morning by NHS England, Nuffield Trust Director of Research Professor John Appleby said:

During September, record numbers of patients medically fit to be transferred from hospital were delayed in doing so. The increase in these delays in a single year was 33 per cent – the sharpest since records began. With a limited number of beds available, these delays are bad news not only for patients leaving hospital, but also for those waiting to get in.

John Appleby, Chief Economist and Director of Research at the Nuffield Trust

“During September, record numbers of patients medically fit to be transferred from hospital were delayed in doing so. The increase in these delays in a single year was 33 per cent – the sharpest since records began. With a limited number of beds available, these delays are bad news not only for patients leaving hospital, but also for those waiting to get in.

“We know that lack of social care provision is the fastest growing cause of these delays, and social care will be facing a funding gap of £1.9 billion next year. As we and the other two leading health think tanks said earlier this week, this must be addressed as an urgent priority in this month’s Autumn Statement.”

“Today’s figures also show us that, yet again, all of the major waiting times targets have been missed, with people waiting longer for A&E, routine surgery and cancer treatment. This reveals an NHS under enormous pressure as we look to the coming winter months. Longer waits for treatment are now par for the course for patients in the NHS.”

Notes to editors

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