New Year Signals Shorter NHS Waiting Lists

NHS waiting lists are at a record low according to figures published by the Department of Health today this week. The number of patients waiting for treatment is at its lowest since such records were first collected in September 1987.

Between October and November 2006 the NHS inpatient-waiting list dropped by a further 8,000 to 769,000, representing a decrease of 389,000 since March 1997.

During the same period the number of patients waiting over 11 weeks for an outpatient appointment also fell by 8,000.

Health Minister Andy Burnham said:

"These new figures today provide clear evidence that this is an improving National Health Service. Investment, reform and the hard work of NHS staff are delivering the fastest access to care for patients - the average wait for inpatient treatment is now around 7 weeks.

"These figures show that the NHS has slashed waiting times and given patients the kind of certainty about their treatment that even up to a few years ago was not thought possible. Despite financial challenges in some parts of the NHS, the service is continuing to deliver improvements in care for its patients.

"Although there is still work ahead to achieve a maximum wait of 18 weeks from GP to treatment, bringing to an end the NHS' hidden waiting lists, I am confident that we will meet this challenging target and the NHS can continue to deliver the fastest access to care."