The latest waiting time figures show the length of time waiting has grown again. It’s understandable due to the shut down in activity earlier in the year because of Covid and difficulties resuming activity due to social distancing and infection control. Nevertheless, the figures are both startling and concerning, writes DHC Director, Graham Kendall.

Some key figures:

• No CCG has met the 92% 18-week target since May
• There are now over 2.2 million people waiting over 18 weeks – that’s over half of the total number of people on the official waiting list
• The number waiting over half a year has also risen to 1.18 million

The animation below shows how the length of waiting times has changed. Each step to the right is an extra week on the waiting list. The harsh reality is that this is how long people have waited so far. Many will wait much longer before they eventually begin treatment.

This is another powerful reason why we need to use every tool we have available to improve efficiency in how we deliver healthcare.

Source: NHS England RTT statistics