NHS waiting list statistics - Jonathan Ashworth responds

Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary, responding to the latest statistics showing 5.6 million people are on the NHS waiting list, said:

“The numbers of patients waiting longer than 18 weeks continues to grow and means more people left languishing in pain and distress for treatment.

“This week Ministers unveiled a punishing tax rise on working people yet utterly failed to offer any credible plan, or answer basic questions about a time frame for bringing this record waits down.

“The last Labour government had a detailed plan that brought waiting times down from 18 months to 18 weeks. It is a scandal that patients wait so long under the Tories.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

There are 5.6 million people on the NHS waiting list, the highest on record

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/RTT-statistical-press-notice-Jul21-PDF-415K.pdf