NHS England statistics show hard work and dedication of NHS staff Our response to NHS England monthly performance statistics

Responding to the publication today by NHS England of the monthly performance statistics, Tim Gardner, Senior Fellow at the Health Foundation, said:

‘Today’s figures demonstrate just how much care NHS staff are delivering in very difficult circumstances, but relying on their willingness to continue going above and beyond is unsustainable.

‘We have not yet hit winter and services are already stretched. Last month, there were over 2 million visits to A&E departments in England, the highest number in any September since current records began. Over 100,000 patients waited over four hours for admission to a hospital bed - an unprecedented number before winter.

‘While over a million people were seen for routine hospital care last month, the number of people waiting for treatment has reached a record high for the eleventh month in a row, with 5.7m people in England now waiting. Nearly 300,000 people have already waited more than a year.

‘Primary, community and mental health services are also severely stretched.  Over the next year, local NHS leaders will need to be supported to make changes to the way they deliver care including how they manage the backlog. The forthcoming spending review will need to prioritise multi-year funding to ensure the NHS has the people and the facilities needed to meet the government’s priorities, address the backlog and meet the growing demand for care.’

Notes

Read detail regarding the Health Foundation’s assessment of the priorities for the forthcoming Spending Review.

Further information about the Health Foundation’s analysis of the funding and staffing requirements for the NHS and social care can be found in this recent report from the REAL Centre Health and social care funding projections 2021.

Media contact

Creina Lilburne
Creina.Lilburne@health.org.uk
07941 156 827