Leaked data reveals nearly quarter of a million year-plus waiters

Nearly a quarter of a million people have been waiting more than a year for operations and other hospital procedures, HSJ has learned. 

Official NHS England data for November, released on Thursday, showed 192,000 patients had been waiting for treatment for more than a year.

However, figures leaked to HSJ of weekly data up to 3 January showed a steep increase to 223,000 patients — the highest reported so far throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and before.

According to the leak, just under 4.2 million people are waiting for treatment, of which year-long waiters comprise 5.4%. The data also showed 175 patients across England had waited more than two years for treatment.

In February, before the pandemic, 1,613 patients were waiting more than a year — meaning there has been a 138-fold increase.

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Source: HSJ, 15 January 2021