Responding to the latest monthly combined performance data from NHS England and Improvement, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery said:

“Today’s figures reflect the pressures trusts are under to restore activity levels across all services and show a mixed picture of what has been happening on the ground in NHS trusts. We need to delve deeper to understand why there is variation locally in activity levels and why there has been a drop in footfall in A&E.

It’s vital that despite the surge in COVID-19 cases we are now seeing in some regions, people need to know the NHS is absolutely open, and there for them if and when they need it.

Saffron Cordery    Deputy Chief Executive

“It’s vital that despite the surge in COVID-19 cases we are now seeing in some regions, people need to know the NHS is absolutely open, and there for them if and when they need it.

“It’s deeply disturbing to see so many people are having to wait more than a year for routine treatment. Trust leaders are only too well aware how distressing these delays can be, as they work to prioritise services based on clinical need.

“The fact that the NHS is doing 80% of planned operations which required an overnight stay compared to last year is a really significant achievement considering constraints such as enhanced infection control measures, wearing and changing cumbersome PPE, and the lack of routine testing meaning increased staff absences. Trusts have met this key milestone set out for them in the NHS England and NHS Improvement recovery trajectory.

“It is clear that the cancer activity figures remain a concern, although we note that in August over 20,000 people started cancer treatment in the last month.

We must recognise just how hard NHS staff are working to restore pre-COVID levels of activity.

Saffron Cordery    Deputy Chief Executive

“We must recognise just how hard NHS staff are working to restore pre-COVID levels of activity, and the innovative approaches they are adopting. There are more operations taking place and the NHS delivered over 1.5 million diagnostic tests in August.

“We have been hearing from mental health trust leaders for some time about the surge in demand for services, as seen in today’s data. The numbers of patients calling the crisis lines has risen, and there are more referrals into mental health services and more individual contacts than ever before. Community and ambulance services continue to run and many colleagues report levels of activity, not captured in these figures, at and above capacity rates at the same point last year.

“But trust leaders tell us they are extremely concerned as demand pressures across systems are beginning to rise as we approach mid-October. The NHS faces turbulent times as it heads towards winter – seasonal pressures, the impact of a potential ‘no deal’ Brexit, a second surge of COVID-19 and a huge backlog in care. No one is in any doubt about the scale of the challenges in the coming months. The most difficult days may still be to come.”