More than half a million patients are on hospital waiting lists in London, it can be revealed today.
Figures released by NHS England for July, the most recent available month, showed that 508,555 people were waiting for operations or other treatment to begin — the highest total for at least five years. Of these, 39,145 people had waited beyond the target of 18 weeks — up 16 per cent on the previous month.
Almost 60,000 more patients were waiting for treatment at the capital’s 34 NHS trusts than a year ago.
This included 76,396 at Barts Health and 2,523 children at Great Ormond Street Hospital — over 500 more than a year ago.
Health campaigners said the figures highlighted the backlog of cases. Bernell Bussue, London director of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “Cuts to nursing posts in both hospital and community settings mean that trusts just haven’t been able to cope with rising demand.”
Barts had 6,982 patients waiting for general surgery at its six hospitals, which include the Royal London, Newham and Whipps Cross.
UCLH, in Bloomsbury, saw its waiting list rise by 6,000 in a year to 35,009. It had 2,274 neurosurgery patients waiting for an operation, with an average wait of over 10 weeks.
A hospital spokesman said: “The increase in our waiting list is matched by a similar increase in the number of patients choosing to come to UCLH.”
NHS England (London) said trusts were fined if they missed targets. It added: “Statistics show the number of people waiting for treatment is often higher in summer months. This is partly due to the summer break and patients choosing to delay elective operations to fit around holidays.”
