Responding to NHS England’s latest performance statistics Nuffield Trust Deputy Director of Research Sarah Scobie said:
“Today’s performance figures from NHS England provide yet more evidence of the truly challenging road ahead as the government seeks to fix the health service.
“Over the summer we saw health service staff working flat out to treat more patients. But with demand for healthcare continuing to grow and waits for planned care at 7.6 million, it is clear that progress to reduce the waiting list has continued to stall.
“There are some glimmers of hope, with ambulance waits coming down and others stabilising in recent months. But the majority of waiting times have still been too high for too long. As the Darzi review underlines, long waits for care – whether in A&E, for surgery or cancer treatment – are now the familiar, grim normality for millions of patients in need.
“The diagnostic report for the health service is now here, and the NHS faces a wait of its own before the treatment plan arrives in the spring. We know change won’t happen overnight and applaud the government’s commitment to a considered action plan. A major question for the government’s reform plans is how it can show quick progress in tackling these many problems in the face of continued pressures on NHS finances.”
Notes to editors
- The latest monthly performance figures from NHS England can be found at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/
- Lord Darzi's Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England can be viewed online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-investigation-of-the-nhs-in-england
- The Nuffield Trust is an independent health think tank. We aim to improve the quality of health care in the UK by providing evidence-based research and policy analysis and informing and generating debate.
- For all queries or to arrange an interview, contact our press office on press.office@nuffieldtrust.org.uk or 020 7462 0500