Wes Streeting responds to record 7.2 million patients on NHS waiting lists

Wes Streeting MP, Labour's Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary, responding to new figures showing a record 7.2 million patients are on NHS England waiting lists, with 411,000 patients waiting more than a year for treatment, said:

"The NHS is heading into this winter with more people waiting for treatment than at any time in history, and they are waiting longer than ever before.

"Behind the statistics are people suffering, sometimes for months or even years, putting their lives on hold because of their pain and discomfort.

"The Government should be doing everything it can to bring down waiting lists, including using spare capacity in the private sector. No one should be waiting in pain while hospital beds that could be used lie empty.

"But we also need to tackle the root cause of this crisis. Labour will train 7,500 more doctors and 10,000 more nurses a year, so patients can be treated on time again, paid for by abolishing non-doms."

Ends

Notes to editors:

• Today’s NHS England waiting list figures are available here