108,031 patients were waiting for treatment at main hospital trust serving Barnet at the end of July reports Will Grimond, Data Reporter

Medical staff consulting a screen at the end of a hospital corridor — Nationally, 7.62 million people were waiting to start treatment at the end of July – unchanged from the end of June. – (Credit – Radar)

More than 100,000 patients were waiting for routine treatment at the Royal Free London in July, new figures show.

The Prime Minister has said the NHS must “reform or die” as the government publishes a major report on its future.

NHS England figures show 108,031 patients were waiting for non-urgent elective operations or treatment at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust at the end of July – down from 109,319 in June, but an increase on 98,240 in July 2023.

Of those, 4,858 (4%) had been waiting for longer than a year.

The median waiting time from referral at an NHS Trust to treatment at the Royal Free London was 14 weeks at the end of July – down from 15 weeks in June.

Nationally, 7.62 million people were waiting to start treatment at the end of July – unchanged from the end of June.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has today said there will be no more money for the NHS without reform.

Addressing the King’s Fund annual conference in London, the Prime Minister said he would “accept the challenge” of fixing the NHS but warned it would be “measured in years, not months”.

Sir Keir was responding to a damning report from surgeon and former health minister Lord Darzi, which lays bare the problems in the health service.

The rapid review, carried out in nine weeks, says the health service “is in critical condition, but its vital signs are strong”.

It sets out widespread issues, including a failure to cut waits in A&E, missed targets for treatment and cancer care, alongside low productivity in hospitals despite investment in staffing.

Separate figures show 1.6 million patients in England were waiting for a key diagnostic test in July – the same as in June.

At the Royal Free London, 21,028 patients were waiting for one of 14 standard tests, such as an MRI scan, non-obstetric ultrasound or gastroscopy at this time.

Of them, 1,752 (8%) had been waiting for at least six weeks.

Other figures show cancer patients at the Royal Free London are not being seen quickly enough.

The NHS states 85% of cancer patients with an urgent referral should start treatment within 62 days.

But NHS England data shows just 52% of cancer patients urgently referred to the Royal Free London in July began treatment within two months of their referral.

That was in line with the proportion in June, but down from 55% in July 2023.

Tim Gardner, assistant director of policy at think tank the Health Foundation, said: “Lord Darzi’s diagnosis and the new figures published today lay bare the consequences of a decade of underinvestment in the NHS and the immense challenge for the new Government in reversing the NHS’ decline.”

Gardner added: “We need to shift more resources towards primary care and community-based services, NHS buildings and equipment must be modernised, and technology must be harnessed to improve care for patients. Only then will we make the NHS fit for the future.”

Rory Deighton, director of the NHS Confederation’s acute network, warned “positive signs of progress could easily be lost” in winter.

“These figures reinforce just how much pressure the NHS is under and just how hard staff are working to improve performance and provide the best care possible for patients,” he said.

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