NHS waiting lists could be even longer than initially thought as new data shows that there could be almost 10 million people waiting for appointments.
The new figures have come after the Office for National Statistics surveyed the public on their attempts to get GP appointments and other bookings for a month– and found that the wait could be two million longer than initially reported. According to the results, 9.7 million people are waiting for an appointment despite the most recent official NHS data showing 6.3 million individuals are waiting for care.
Meanwhile, more than 1.3 million people said they have been waiting for more than a year – compared to NHS data showing a backlog of 321,394 appointments.
Separately, new data published by NHS England shows 430,000 patients’ operations were deferred during strike actions from December last year to date.
However, prime minister Rishi Sunak has previously claimed the doctor’s strikes have impacted the health services’ ability to reduce its waiting list, despite failing to meet his pledge to cut the NHS’ backlog last year.
A spokesperson for the doctors’ union the British Medical Association said in response to the data: “The failures of this Government, year on year, have made it impossible for the NHS to treat patients on time – for those with cancer, on a waiting list, or needing care in the Emergency Department.
“It is wholly disingenuous for NHS England to blame a failure to meet targets on industrial action when waiting lists were growing and targets were being missed before any strike action began and thousands of appointments and operations are cancelled day in, day out due to lack of staff and beds or broken equipment when there are no strikes.”
The ONS poll also revealed one in 20 people who call their GP for assistance are told to call back on another day and more than one in 10 were told they would need to wait for more than two weeks for care.
The new figures come after the British Social Attitudes annual survey, published last month showed that public satisfaction with the NHS is at an all-time low.
The main reasons for dissatisfaction were waiting times for GP and hospital appointments (71 per cent) and staff shortages (54 per cent).
According to the ONS, 5.3 per cent of people were told to “make contact again another day, as the GP practice could not help that day”, according to the new survey by NHS England and the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The NHS England/ONS survey, which was carried out between January 16 and February 15, also asked participants about their experiences of contacting GP surgeries.
The survey found nearly half (49.4 per cent) said it was very easy or easy while nearly a third (31.3 per cent) said it was very difficult or difficult.
The proportion finding it very difficult or difficult was highest among 25 to 34-year-olds (40.2 per cent) and lowest among people aged 70 and over (20.4 per cent).
On average, the NHS is now offering around 1.4 million GP appointments every working day, according to NHS England.
Figures for February show that GP teams in England delivered 30 million appointments in February – up from 25 million pre-pandemic.
Medical Negligence – Delays in treatment
If you have suffered a delay in medical treatment which has caused your condition to worsen or prolong your access to treatment, you may be entitled to claim the provider.
This could include delays in referrals, scans and other investigations. It can also include medical professionals overlooking symptoms or records that are re-reviewed at a later date and urgently acted upon once the delay has been identified.
Where might delays occur?
Medical delays can occur in all areas of medical practice. However, they are common in the following settings:
Medical conditions
Medical delays can occur in any medical condition however are very common in the following medical conditions:
The effects of medical delays
Medical delays can severely affect an individual’s life, treatment options, recovery period and in more serious cases the chance of survival.
If you have experienced medical delays which has caused your condition to worsen you may be eligible to make a medical delay claim.
How to make a medical delay claim
If you feel that you have been affected as a result of late diagnosis or incorrect or inappropriate treatment, then you may be entitled to bring about a compensation claim.
The team at Oakwood Solicitors Ltd will be able to give you free advice on the prospects of your case and whether you would be eligible to make a claim.
The patient who has been affected may be able to bring about a claim. However, it can also sadly be the case that the patient has passed as a result of the disease. In such instances, the executor of the estate or the next of kin/dependents may be able to bring about a claim.
Our specialist team will be able to discuss whether you have a right to bring about a claim, so if you or a loved one has been affected do not hesitate to contact us.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.
Carol Cook joined Oakwood Solicitors in May 2017 to lead the Medical Negligence Department.
Carol handles a wide range of clinical, cosmetic and dental negligence claims and has years of experi…
Delayed diagnosis case study
The claimant suffered an injury to the ankle, X-ray imagining revealed no fractures and the Claimant was diagnosed with a soft tissue injury and discharged from A&E with advice to rest.
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