In England, more people are waiting for routine hospital procedures than at any time since registration began in 2007. The number rose to 7.1 million at the end of September, breaking the record of 7 million in August. More than 400,000 people had been waiting for their treatment for more than a year at the end of September.
The situation has also deteriorated further in the emergency departments, for which data has been available since October. According to statistics, nearly 44,000 patients had to wait more than 12 hours for a bed after registration last month. That was about a third more than in September, the latest figures from the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) show.
Just under 70 percent of patients were treated within four hours of admission in the considered period – the worst value since the statistics began. The desired standard of treating at least 95 percent of emergency patients within four hours has not been achieved since 2015.
Chronically underfunded
The NHS health service in Britain is not funded by contributions but must cover its expenses from a budget set by the government. It is considered chronically underfunded.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
