NHS Confederation responds to analysis showing NHS waiting time improvement in England lagging behind similar countries
Responding to a new Nuffield Trust analysis showing the NHS in England lagging behind similar countries on improving waiting times for major surgery Rory Deighton, director of the NHS Confederation’s Acute Network, said:
“The NHS also entered the pandemic following years of underinvestment, with waiting lists already on the rise. But despite the incredibly hard work of health leaders and their teams the health service has not made the kind of progress on clearing waiting lists as many would have liked.
“Our members recognise that reducing long waits and clearing care backlogs was never going to be achieved overnight while industrial action and some very difficult winters have also thrown a spanner in the works. Nearly 1.5 million appointments and operations have been rescheduled due to strikes since 2022, with industrial action estimated to have cost the NHS billions in plugging staffing gaps and rescheduling appointments.
“These long waits have a huge impact on patients, who are often waiting in pain or discomfort. But as the analysis points out, stable waiting lists in other countries could mask issues around fewer referrals or more difficult patient access.
“Hospitals recognise the significant bed pressures in the system and are trialling new innovative ways to manage elective procedures, including opening surgical hubs and hot and cold surgical sites. But without capital investment to repair crumbling estates and expand theatre space the NHS could struggle to boost productivity to the levels needed to tackle the backlog.
“We welcome Labour’s commitment to tackle the backlogs and move away from the short-termism that has made long-term planning difficult. We are confident that if the incoming government can end industrial action and back our members with the right investment and support to empower them to make the difficult decisions needed then they will be able to bring down the backlog.”
