NHS waiting lists in East Suffolk and North Essex Trust continue to grow

The big picture: The local figures reflect a national trend, with more than 7.6 million people waiting to start treatment across England at the end of July. They're published as the Prime Minister has said the NHS must "reform or die" as the Government publishes a major report on its future.

Why it matters: Long waiting times can impact patients' health outcomes and quality of life. The figures highlight ongoing pressures on NHS services at a local and national level.

The non-urgent operation waiting list continues to grow:

• 89,463 patients waiting for non-urgent elective operations or treatment at the end of July – up from 88,986 in June and 88,197 in the same month last year.

• 3,902 patients (4%) have been waiting longer than a year.

• The median waiting time from referral to treatment is 15 weeks.

Diagnostic test waiting list increases:

• 15,139 patients were waiting for one of 14 standard tests like MRI scans or ultrasounds – this is slightly up from 15,078 people last month.

• 2,847 (19%) had been waiting for at least six weeks.

Cancer care is showing signs of improvement: In July, 78% of urgently referred cancer patients began treatment within the crucial 62-day window, marking an increase from 72% in June. This figure is also slightly higher than the 75% recorded in July 2023.

While the Trust is still working towards the NHS target of 85%, these figures demonstrate progress in providing timely care to cancer patients in the region.

What they're saying: Rory Deighton, director of the NHS Confederation’s acute network, warned "positive signs of progress could easily be lost" in winter.

"These figures reinforce just how much pressure the NHS is under and just how hard staff are working to improve performance and provide the best care possible for patients," he said.

What's next: Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently said the NHS will not receive more money without reform. The Trust will need to continue efforts to reduce waiting times and meet NHS targets.