NHS Confederation responds to the latest performance statistics & winter situation report

Latest monthly NHS performance statistics show:

• Cancer waiting times have improved. The latest figures show the highest number of checks for patients following a GP urgent referral for any October, with 239,180 people checked.
• The elective care waiting list now stands at 7.21m. 
• The total number of category 1 ambulance call outs for November was 81,655 a reduction from 83,986 in October.

Responding to the latest performance figures for the NHS in England and the latest winter situation report for urgent and emergency care, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said:

"There is no hiding from the fact that the NHS is bracing itself for a very tumultuous winter with over 13,300 patients in hospital beds they do not need to be in, flu cases on the rise, and category 1 ambulance call outs and A&E attendances reaching concerning levels.

“The added threat of industrial action looms heavily over the shoulders of health leaders who are getting desperate for the government and unions to begin negotiations and importantly, to be prepared to compromise.

“This is despite the significant planning and preparation they are putting in to mitigate the worst effects of industrial action.

“The NHS has delivered a lot for its patients, including slashing the list of patients who have been waiting for elective procedures and patients waiting 78 weeks, as well as driving improvements in cancer waits. It will continue to do everything it can for its patients, including prioritising the most urgent cases, but these are troubling times.”