No let up in the growing demand for treatment
12 July 2018
- NHS England has published its latest set of combined performance data.
- In June 2018, 90.7% of patients were seen within 4 hours. This is compared with 90.7% in May 2017 and 90.4% last month.
- At the end of May 2018, 88.1% had been waiting less than 18 weeks, thus not meeting the 92% standard. This compares to 90.4% at the end of May 2017.
- Two of the 3 main cancer targets were missed in April 2018.
Responding to the latest performance figures from NHS England, the head of analysis at NHS Providers, Phillippa Hentsch, said:
“These figures show there is no let up in the growing demand for treatment.
“Everyone wants to avoid a repetition of the problems we saw last winter.
Everyone wants to avoid a repetition of the problems we saw last winter.
“For that to happen you would need to see significant improvement compared to where we stood this time last year against key targets such as the four-hour standard in A and E.
“The reality is that trusts are doing all they can. They are seeing many more patients than twelve months ago and performance in A & E has picked up since the winter, but we are no further forward than we were twelve months ago.
“And as trusts battle to keep up with demand for urgent and emergency care, the challenge of recovering lost ground in preventing delays for routine operations becomes still greater.
“It is particularly worrying to see a sharp rise in the number of people waiting more than a year. Tackling this is a priority. But the pressures mean we’re going backwards.
“And it is a concern to see performance slipping against the cancer targets.
We need urgent action now to head off much worse problems ahead in the coming winter.
“The writing is on the wall.
“We need urgent action now to head off much worse problems ahead in the coming winter. Funding is needed to put in place the necessary staff, beds and other resources. We are fast approaching the point where it is too late for this year.”