No let up for staff or patients with NHS facing historic levels of pressure

Responding to the publication today by NHS England of the monthly performance statistics, Tim Gardner, Senior Policy Fellow at the Health Foundation, said:

‘Today’s performance data shows there has been no let up for staff or patients, with the NHS facing historic levels of pressure.

‘Even before the Omicron variant emerged, waiting lists were hitting new records but the demands on services combined with a spike in staff sickness absences has given the NHS an even bigger mountain to climb. The pressures on hospital capacity are reflected in the strains on A&E departments, with record numbers of trolley waits in January.   

‘The announcement of this week’s long anticipated elective recovery plan is welcome but the challenges facing the NHS cannot be understated – there are now 6.07 million on the waiting list with over 310,000 patients waiting longer than a year.   

‘While there are some welcome initiatives set out in this week’s integration white paper and the recovery plan, longstanding staff shortages will continue to constrain progress. If a plan to solve the workforce crisis doesn’t emerge soon then the NHS’s ambition to bring down waiting lists and fully recover after the pandemic will continue to be undermined.’

Media contact

Liam Collins
Liam.Collins@health.org.uk
020 7360 7501