• NHS England has published its latest set of combined performance data.

• In September 2018, 88.9% of patients were seen within 4 hours. This has fallen from the previous month following a normal trend of dropping between August and September. The provider sector did not meet the deliverable in the planning guidance to achieve 90% in A&E by September. There were 2 million attendances in September 2018, 4.1% more than in September 2017.

• Of patients on the waiting list at the end of August 2018, 87.2% had been waiting less than 18 weeks, thus not meeting the 92% standard. This compares to 89.4% at the end of August 2017.

• Two of the 3 main cancer targets were missed in August 2018.

• Mixed-sex accommodation breaches in August 2018 were up by 13% when compared to July 2018. The total number of breaches has increased in the past year by 102% and is the highest figure since February 2018. 

Responding to the latest performance figures from NHS England, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery, said: 

"These figures reflect once again the steep and relentless rise in the demand for care that trusts are facing, and the fact that this has become a year-round phenomenon. 

These figures reflect once again the steep and relentless rise in the demand for care that trusts are facing, and the fact that this has become a year-round phenomenon.

Saffron Cordery    Interim Chief Executive

"They also highlight the frustrating paradox of trusts and frontline staff pulling out all the stops to cope with growing pressures, but slipping further and further from the constitutional standards the public have been told to expect, and the recovery trajectory set out in NHS planning guidance.

"Waiting lists for operations continue to grow, but inevitably, attention will focus on performance in A&E where – compared with the previous September – the number of people coming in for help rose by over four per cent to more than two million.

"Alongside increased attendances we are seeing a growing proportion of patients having to be admitted as an emergency. The total has risen by nearly five per cent in the last twelve months.

"Yet again, NHS trusts have responded to the challenge.

"The number of people admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours in September increased by more than three per cent compared with the same time last year.

"But this wasn't enough to keep pace with growing demand.

Yet again, NHS trusts have responded to the challenge. The number of people admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours in September increased by more than three per cent compared with the same time last year.

Saffron Cordery    Interim Chief Executive

 "As the Care Quality Commission's State of Care report makes clear today, this reflects challenges that are being faced right across health and care, rather than being confined to hospitals.

"Despite the welcome announcement of additional funding for adult social care last week, the CQC is right to highlight the ongoing impact of the crisis in social care on the NHS – and the effect this is having on the quality of services for NHS patients and service users."