Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Britain's healthcare backlogs grow to record levels

Published 11/08/2022, 17:46
Updated 11/08/2022, 17:50
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A man cycles between ambulances parked outside of the Royal London Hospital, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in London, Britain, January 7, 2022. REUTERS/Toby Melville

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A man cycles between ambulances parked outside of the Royal London Hospital, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in London, Britain, January 7, 2022. REUTERS/Toby Melville

By Andrew MacAskill

LONDON (Reuters) - The number of people in England waiting to start routine hospital treatment has risen to the highest level since records began 15 years ago, while victims of crime are facing long delays for their cases to be heard in court.

As Conservative Party members chose a new leader to succeed Prime Minister Boris Johnson this summer, the problems his successor will have to deal with are stacking up.

Last month, 6.7 million people were waiting to start treatment in Britain's state-run National Health Service (NHS), the highest number since records began in August 2007, new data released on Thursday showed. This is up from 6.6 million last month and 4.4 million on the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A record number of people had to wait more than 12 hours in accident and emergency departments after a decision was made to admit them, the latest figures show.

The pressure on the health service is just one of the major challenges facing the next prime minister. They will also have to deal with surging inflation, industrial strikes and households struggling with a cost-of-living crisis.

Successive governments have tried and largely failed to address the challenges of a health system pressured by an ageing population.

The NHS, which has provided healthcare free at the point of use since 1948, has seen the COVID-19 pandemic increase demands for care while facing its worst ever staffing crisis with thousands of vacancies.

Once a source of national pride, only 36% of people are satisfied with the NHS, the lowest figure since 1997, a survey by the National Centre for Social Research earlier this year found.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A man cycles between ambulances parked outside of the Royal London Hospital, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in London, Britain, January 7, 2022. REUTERS/Toby Melville

Meanwhile, the backlog of cases in Crown Courts is now at its highest in nine months, new data showed.

The overall number of cases waiting to be heard in Crown Court has increased from about 39,000 in early 2020, before the pandemic, to over 58,000 in June this year, the data shows.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.