Nuffield Trust response to new NHS performance data

Commenting on the latest NHS England performance and winter SitRep data, Nuffield Trust Deputy Director of Research Sarah Scobie said:

“With over one in 10 people in England waiting for planned hospital treatment, cutting patient waiting times is now front-and-centre of government priorities. Encouragingly, the list has continued to fall for another month, with 42,930 fewer patients waiting in December than in November. But much of this could be down to the fact that December is always a quieter month for referrals.

“Meanwhile, ambulance crews and emergency departments are struggling in the face of winter pressures, crowded A&Es and lack of hospital beds. Of patients admitted to hospital from A&E in January, 61,529 people spent more than 12 hours on trolleys waiting for a proper bed to become available. Patients with emergencies such as strokes waited an average of 35 minutes and 40 seconds for an ambulance – it’s far from certain the newly announced target to get these waits down to an average of 30 minutes across 2025/26 will be met. The latest weekly data shows the number of beds occupied by patients with norovirus continues to rise, while over 14,000 beds on average in the week beginning 3 February were filled with patients who were fit to be discharged but stuck waiting.  

“Our analysis this week reveals a worrying deterioration in the finances of NHS trusts. Today’s figures show just how tough it will be to meet the Government’s aim to move care closer to home without additional funding and in the face of severe pressures on hospitals.”