NHS England has published its monthly combined NHS performance statistics which cover the four hour A&E target, cancer treatment performance and the 18 week RTT target.

The figures show:

• an improvement in A&E performance this month. In May, 90.4% of patients were seen within 4 hours
• two of the 3 main cancer targets were missed in April 2018 (the 62 day wait between an urgent GP referral to first definitive treatment and the two week wait between an urgent GP referral to seeing a specialist)
• 82.3% of patients received treatment within 62 days following an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer in April 2018 (the target is 85%).
• 90.8% of patients were seen by a specialist within two weeks of an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer in April 2018 (the target is 93%)
• at the end of April 2018, 87.5% had been waiting less than 18 weeks to start treatment for routine operations
• there has been a 31% increase in the numbers of patients waiting over 18 weeks for treatment since April 2017*
• there were 144,997 delayed days in April 2018, compared to 176,886 in April 2017; a decrease of 18%.

* this comparison will be affected by different numbers of trusts not submitting information each month

The head of analysis at NHS Providers, Phillippa Hentsch, said:

“These figures show the impact that increasing demand and financial pressures continue to have on the NHS, with further signs of deterioration in performance in cancer services and routine care.

“Thanks to the efforts of trusts and their staff there is some improvement against the four hour A&E target compared to May last year. But wider performance is falling short of the standards the public expect.

In April, more than 15,000 patients with suspected cancer waited for more than two weeks to see a specialist, the highest number since records began.

Phillippa Hentsch    

“In April, more than 15,000 patients with suspected cancer waited for more than two weeks to see a specialist, the highest number since records began.

“It is over two years since the 62-day wait target for cancer treatment was met. Access to treatment to identify and treat cancer early is critical.

These figures show that the NHS will need substantial time and resources to recover performance to the level that the public rightly expects.”

Phillippa Hentsch    

“We are also seeing a worrying increase in patients who are waiting beyond 18 weeks for routine operations, including knee and hip operations. The number of patients breaching this standard is up by a third over 12 months.

“As we expect the long-term funding settlement for the NHS, these figures show that the NHS will need substantial time and resources to recover performance to the level that the public rightly expects.”