Scarborough Hospital: NHS waiting lists at record level as 'pressures' grow

More than 39,000 patients were waiting to start treatment in March this year at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which helps to provide health care across the region.

NHS hospitals in England remain under severe pressure with the number of people waiting for routine hospital treatment reaching a new all-time record.

The number of people waiting for routine hospital treatment has grown to 6.4 million, the highest since records began in April 2007.

Trauma and orthopaedic departments have the largest waiting lists, with 731,000 patients queueing for treatments such as knee and hip replacements, 55,000 of whom have been waiting for more than a year.

The NHS England figures, for the end of March, show the proportion of people who have been waiting for 18 weeks or less has fallen to 62.4 per cent, far below the NHS target of 92 per cent and the worst performance in more than a year.

In Scarborough and York, the figures show that 59.4 per cent of patients have been waiting 18 weeks or less for treatment, with 2,145 people waiting more than a year to be seen.

Professor Stephen Powis, National Medical Director for NHS England, said hospital teams were making good progress in tackling the backlogs, with record numbers of diagnostic tests and cancer checks taking place in March, as part of what he described as "the most ambitious catch-up plan in NHS history".

He said: "We always knew the waiting list would initially continue to grow as more people come forward for care who may have held off during the pandemic, but today's data show the number of people waiting more than two years has fallen for the second month in a row, and the number waiting more than 18 months has gone down for the first time.

"There is no doubt the NHS still faces pressures, and the latest figures are another reminder of the crucial importance of community and social care, in helping people in hospital leave when they are fit to do so, not just because it is better for them but because it helps free up precious NHS bed space."

Of the 159 NHS hospital Trusts that provided data, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was amongst the worst-performing in England, ranking 120 overall, with a patient waiting 14 weeks on average for treatment.

NHS waiting list targets are being missed in every region of England, with the worst performance being seen in the North West. There, 58 per cent of people have been waiting less than 18 weeks for treatment, far below the target of 92 per cent.

In contrast, North East and Yorkshire is the best performing region at 70 per cent.