The NHS is facing challenges in meeting its waiting list targets as Accident and Emergency departments prepare for what has been dubbed a winter ‘tripledemic’. Surgeons have issued warnings that a core target to clear the backlog of patients waiting over a year for treatment is likely to be missed, with over 45,000 patients still waiting for more than a year as of August 2024, according to the Royal College of Surgeons.
In August, there were an estimated 6.42 million patients waiting for treatment, up from 6.39 million in July. The number of treatments pending stood at 7.64 million in August, compared to 7.62 million the previous month. Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, acknowledged the persistent pressure on the NHS services, particularly in light of a predicted surge in demand during the winter months and the looming threat of a ‘tripledemic’ involving Covid-19, flu, and RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus).
As waiting lists continue to grow, A&E departments across England have experienced record levels of demand, with September marking the busiest month on record with 2.21 million attendances and 530,824 emergency admissions. The deteriorating situation is evident in the increase of patients waiting over 12 hours to be seen, treated, or discharged upon arrival at emergency departments, with numbers rising from August to September 2024.
NHS England reported that 74.2 per cent of patients in England were seen within four hours in A&Es last month, down from 76.3 per cent in August. The NHS recovery plan had set a target for 76 per cent of A&E patients to be attended to within four hours by March 2025. The situation has led to concerns raised by top A&E medic Dr Adrian Boyle, who criticised the normalization of corridor care and highlighted the inadequacy of the winter plan.
In the midst of these challenges, calls for government intervention have intensified, with Professor Frank Smith, Vice President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, emphasising the urgent need for capital funding in NHS infrastructure and IT to address the persistent delays in patient care. The urgency is further underscored by the goal of eliminating all waits of over a year by March 2025, set by the previous government and NHS England.
Despite the setbacks, there have been some positive indicators, such as the continued success in meeting targets for urgent cancer referrals and diagnoses within 28 days. However, with winter approaching rapidly, the health system is bracing for increased pressure and the need for innovative solutions to ensure timely and efficient care for patients.