Junior doctors on third strike day as NHS waiting list for treatment hits record high
NHS England revealed the longest ever hospital waiting list while junior doctors continue strike action, as ITV News' Deputy Political Editor Anushka Asthana reports
The government has been urged to enter talks with junior doctors on their third day of strike action, while the number of people waiting for NHS treatment has peaked at 7.2 million.
Latest performance figures show 7.22 million people were on the waiting list for planned treatment at the end of February 2023, with warnings this figure is likely to grow as the health service continues to grapple with "sustained pressures".
The data comes as hundreds of thousands of appointments have been cancelled as junior doctors from the British Medical Association (BMA) stage four days of strike action, impacting hospital staffing up and down the country.
An NHS chief has urged both parties to initiate serious talks, telling ITV News both the treatment and diagnoses of cancer patients is being delayed, which is causing "real harm".
The BMA has approached the conciliation service Acas in a bid to end the bitter dispute over pay, but the government is insisting junior doctors drop their demand for a 35% pay rise.
'This is having real harm', warns Professor Clive Kay, Chief Executive of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
The number of people waiting more than 18 months for treatment has fallen considerably, according to latest NHS England performance figures released on Thursday.
At the end of February, it had fallen to 29,800 people - down from 69,300 a year ago.
But the number of people waiting for treatment reached another record high of 7.22 million, with warnings that strike disruption could make that worse.
Saoirse Mallorie, Senior Analyst at The King's Fund, said the figures released show "huge strides have been made" towards reducing the number of people enduring long waits for treatment.
"However, patients are still facing unacceptably long waits and we can expect to see that overall waiting list, which currently stands at 7.2 million people, continue to swell as the NHS grapples with sustained pressures."
NHS England said staff are prioritising emergency and urgent care over some routine appointments and procedures this week, while the walkout by junior doctors continues.
Harry Willis, a 17-year-old with cerebral palsy, had an operation cancelled that was supposed to happen just after Christmas. After finally getting a date for this week, it was cancelled at short notice due to strikes.
He told ITV News the pain he experiences daily is like "needles being stabbed" into his foot.
His mother, Carolyn, said she was "disappointed, tearful and not happy" when her son's operation was cancelled. They've now been told they have to wait another two months.
Professor Clive Kay, Chief Executive of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, told ITV News the ongoing junior doctors strikes are having "the greatest impact" so far.
He compared the NHS during strike action to the Covid-19 pandemic, where hospitals had to prioritise emergency care over elective surgeries.
"We know that caused harm for patients down the line," Professor Kay said.
"Make no mistake, there are patients who have cancer having delays in their treatment, we're delaying the possible diagnosis of cancer in patients. This is having real harm, and as a consequence it's really really important that both parties get around the table and stop saying to each other, giving reasons why they can't start negotiations," he added.
"We need that for our patients and for our staff."
The warnings come as ambulance response times for all types of emergencies have got longer, including for life-threatening illnesses and injuries, but remain below record levels.
Meanwhile around one in 10 people arriving at major A&E departments are having to wait more than 12 hours before being admitted, transferred or discharged - the first time data of this kind has been published.
The BMA is staging its latest walkout over claims junior doctors in England have seen a 26% real-terms pay cut since 2008/09 because pay rises have been below inflation.
The union has asked for a full pay restoration that the Government said would amount to a 35% pay rise – which ministers have said is unaffordable.
Acas has been approached by the BMA to help facilitate talks with the government, but Home Office minister Chris Philp suggested on Thursday that all strikes must be called off before they can get round the table.
Meanwhile while on a visit to Washington DC, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said it would be a "terrible mistake" to "agree to an inflationary pay-rise".
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt suggests the government won't back a pay rise of 35% for junior doctors, saying it would be a 'terrible mistake' to 'agree to an inflationary pay-rise'
Meanwhile, hospital bosses expressed concern about keeping patients safe during the strike action as they struggle to secure cover for overnight junior doctor shifts.
The health service’s top doctor, Professor Powis, also warned that the situation in the NHS will “become more challenging each day this strike progresses”.
He estimates 350,000 appointments and operations have been rescheduled as a result.
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