140,244 patients were waiting for treatment at the main hospital trust serving Barnet at the end of August reports Adam Care, Data Reporter

NHS staff in a hospital corridor — Separate figures show 1.7 million patients in England were waiting for a key diagnostic test in August – (Credit – Radar)

Almost 150,000 patients were waiting for routine treatment at the main hospital trust covering Barnet in August, figures show.

It comes the waiting list across England for planned treatment increased for the third consecutive month.

NHS England figures show 140,244 patients were waiting for non-urgent elective operations or treatment at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust at the end of August – down from 143,040 in July, but an increase on 109,184 in Aug-24.

Of those, 3,183 (2%) 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 15 weeks at the end of August – the same as in July.

Nationally, an estimated 7.4 million treatments were waiting to be carried out at the end of August, relating to 6.2 million patients, broadly in line with the end of July.

The list hit a record high in September 2023, with 7.8 million treatments and 6.5 million patients.

And nearly 3% of people on the waiting list for hospital treatment had been waiting more than 52 weeks in August, in line with the month before.

The government and NHS England are aiming to bring this figure to under 1% by March 2026.

Danielle Jefferies, senior analyst at The King’s Fund, warned the “green shoots of NHS recovery remain fragile” and the figures “demonstrate how shaky wider efforts to tackle waiting lists are”.

She said: “Patients are still confronted with lengthy waiting times, slower than anticipated ambulance response times, and crowded hospitals.

“Regularly missed targets for various indicators across NHS services are now a predictable occurrence each month, and it’s clear that there is a long road ahead to get the NHS back on its feet.”

Separate figures show 1.7 million patients in England were waiting for a key diagnostic test in August – the same as in July.

At the Royal Free London, 27,899 patients were waiting for one of 14 standard tests, such as an MRI scan, non-obstetric ultrasound or gastroscopy at this time.

Of them, 4,875 (17%) 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 urgently referred by a GP should start treatment within 62 days.

But NHS England data shows just 69% of patients urgently referred by the NHS who received cancer treatment at the Royal Free London in August began treatment within two months of their referral.

That was up from 64% in July.

Chief executive of NHS Providers, Daniel Elkeles said: “NHS staff have worked incredibly hard over the summer delivering more tests, more checks and more treatment – but the demand for care just keeps on growing.

“We can’t go on like this. We need to do more to prevent illness and catch problems before they get worse.”

He added: “The NHS has plans in place to deal with the pressures, but the public can play their part as well.

“It’s really important that people who are eligible get themselves vaccinated as a vital line of defence against the winter bugs.”

Health Minister Stephen Kinnock praised the work of NHS staff, but said the Government knows it has more to do.

He added: “That’s why we’re pressing ahead with new surgical hubs, evening and weekend scans, and cutting-edge technology to get millions more patients treated on time.

“Backed by £29 billion in extra funding this year, our investment and reforms are delivering real results for patients – and none of it would be possible without the tireless commitment of our NHS staff.

“Through our Plan for Change we are making our NHS fit for the future.”

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