Soaring temperatures in July took their toll on patients and staff

Responding to the latest performance figures for the NHS, Nigel Edwards Chief Executive of the Nuffield Trust, said:

“The soaring temperatures in July have taken their toll on patients and staff, with a record number of people turning up to A&E last month. The number of people waiting over 4 hours on trolleys to be admitted was also unusually high for summer at over 57,000 – a figure that would have once been unthinkable, even in the depths of winter.

“And it’s not just about A&E – sadly these figures show relentless pressure throughout the whole system. More than 1 in 10 people on the list for planned treatment are now waiting over 18 weeks, the worst level since January 2009, and the key two-month cancer treatment target now hasn’t been met in three and a half years.”