Responding to the analysis by the Health Foundation on fewer people being referred for routine hospital care, NHS Providers deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery said:

"It's a real concern that there was such a sharp drop in referrals for routine hospital care during the first wave of the pandemic.

"Dealing with COVID-19 has placed enormous additional pressures on trusts and frontline staff, and in creating the capacity to deal with the virus some disruption to routine services during the first wave was inevitable.

"But it's vital that people know the NHS was, is, and will remain there for them. It never became a COVID-only service.

"Trusts have been working hard to restore services and catch up on some of the backlog of work that was added to as a result of the pandemic.

"They are also keenly aware of the prospect of pent up demand, which in some areas such as mental health is already becoming evident, and will increasingly come through on top of the challenges of coping with COVID and dealing with added winter pressures.

"This report provides valuable insight into the scale of the challenges ahead.

"It is vital that despite the surge in COVID-19 cases and a national lockdown, people know the NHS is open, and there for them if and when they need it."