Responding to NHS England Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times, RCN Director for England, Patricia Marquis, said:
“The whole of the health and care system is under huge strain, with a record estimated 7.2 million people stuck on waiting lists in England and thousands waiting more than 12 hours to be admitted to a hospital bed or discharged because of a lack of community or social care.
“With a severely depleted workforce, the pressure on staff to do more and more with less and less is not sustainable. Patients are at risk and is why nurses are taking strike action on patient safety as well as pay.
“In a week’s time nurses will take to the picket lines in our first national strike. Nurses are doing this for their patients as much as for the profession.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
- According to the Consultant-led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times Data 2022-23, there were a record estimated 7.21 million people waiting for routine treatment on the NHS in England in October 2022.
- The number of patients waiting more than 12 hours in A&E departments in England from a decision to admit to actually being admitted has fallen 14% from the record 43,792 in October to 37,837 in November, but that is still the second-highest monthly total in data going back to August 2010 and, according to the A&E Attendances and Emergency Admissions monthly data, a 255% increase from this time last year (37,837 last month compared with 10,646 in November last year)
- The NHS England Urgent and Emergency Care Daily Situation Report showed that an average of 13,358 patients a day remained in hospital who no longer met the criteria to reside last week (the week starting November 28).
