NHS waiting lists: Working age people a growing proportion of those needing help
Data tables published for the first time by NHS England also show people in the most deprived parts of the country are more likely to wait more than a year to start hospital treatment than those in the least deprived.
The figures, analysed by the PA news agency, show 56.1% of those on the list at the end of June this year were of working age (defined as age 19 to 64), up from 55.8% a year ago and 55.0% in June 2022.
At the same time, the proportion of people on the waiting list under the age of 19 has fallen, standing at 10.8% in June this year, down from 11.2% a year earlier and 11.9% in June 2022.
The proportion who are over 65 has remained broadly unchanged at around 33.1%.
People of working age are also more likely to have to wait more than a year to start treatment (3.0% of patients in this age group at the end of June) than those over 65 (2.5%).
However, the proportion is the same as those under 19 (also 3.0%).
Meanwhile, people in the most deprived parts of England also face long waits for treatment when compared with those in the wealthiest areas.
And for data where sex is recorded, women make up a higher percentage of the waiting list (57%) compared with men (43%).
Women are also more likely to be waiting more than 18 and 52 weeks than men.
On deprivation, some 3.1% of patients living in the most deprived areas had been waiting more than 12 months to begin treatment at the end of June, compared with 2.7% in the least deprived.
The gap is even wider in some regions, with the figures for the Midlands ranging from 3.0% in the most deprived parts to 2.4% in the least deprived; from 2.4% to 1.8% in London; and from 4.9% to 4.0% in eastern England.
The data also shows patients in certain ethnic groups are more likely to have to wait more than a year to start hospital treatment than in others.
Some 3.2% of patients in England identifying as Bangladeshi had been waiting more than 12 months to begin treatment at the end of June, along with 3.0% of patients of Pakistani and African backgrounds, higher proportions than those identifying as Caribbean (2.9%), Chinese (2.8%), British (2.8%) or Indian (2.7%).
Eastern England and south-west England are the regions with the largest ethnicity gap for people waiting more than a year to begin hospital treatment.
The Government has announced new neighbourhood health centres in its 10-year plan for the NHS, which will be targeted first at the places where healthy life expectancy is lowest.
According to the Department of Health, this includes 'de-industrialised cities and coastal towns, reducing the estimated £240-£330 billion cost of sickness to the economy.'
Some 20 'further faster' teams have also been sent in to those NHS trusts with the longest waits to try to bring them down.
The new data shows the largest specialty for those on the waiting list aged 18-64 is gynaecology (12% of all 18 to 64-year-olds), while it is ophthalmology for older adults.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: 'We inherited an NHS which after years of neglect had left all patients worse off – but some more than others.
'Sunlight is the best disinfectant. Only by being upfront and shining a light on inequalities can we begin to tackle the problem.
'We will give all patients the care they need when they need it as part of our Plan for Change.
'Our 10-Year Health Plan will tackle health inequalities faced across the country, diverting billions of pounds to working-class communities, and providing truly targeted, bespoke care to all patients where they live via the neighbourhood health service.'
Stella Vig, NHS national clinical director for elective care, said: 'Understanding patient demographics is vital if we are to identify and tackle the way different groups are treated.
'As well as allowing patients and the public to see the makeup of local lists, NHS teams will be able to analyse the latest data, understand where there is unwarranted variation in waiting times, and work with their communities to take action to reduce it.'
Professor Habib Naqvi, chief executive of the NHS Race and Health Observatory, said: 'This is a great step in making ethnic health inequities more visible.
'Without robust, consistent data and transparency about what's happening in the healthcare system, we will not be able to enable genuine equitable decision making in the NHS, nor tackle and eradicate ethnic and racial inequalities in health in a sustained and meaningful way.'
It comes as the Government announced that patients with long-term conditions will be automatically referred to specialist charities at the point of diagnosis from next year.
Diagnosis Connect will ensure patients are referred directly to charities and support organisations in a move the Government says will 'complement, not replace', NHS care.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
16 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Shed pounds with up to 61% off the walking program that's tailor-made to help you reach your goals - no equipment needed!
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more Whether you have no time for the gym or are looking for an effective low-impact workout, you might want to consider walking your way to a fitter you. It sounds simple — and it is. The difference is that the WalkFit by Welltech program is designed to help you achieve your health and fitness goals without the arbitrary 'rules' that govern the usual walking plans for weight loss. WalkFit by Welltech Walk your way to improved health and fitness with this program that is tailor-made for you! You'll lose weight at a sensible and sustainable pace, enjoying all of the strengthening benefits of walking at the same time. Ready to get started? You can save up to 61 percent on your first subscription period! Click through to begin your walking journey today. That means you aren't bound to walk the standard recommended 10,000 steps if that's not right for you. WalkFit takes a personalized approach, creating a plan tailored to your specific parameters, including your existing weight, fitness level, and age. With such a carefully tailored program at up to 61 percent off your first subscription period, you can feel confident as you get started, knowing that it's made just for you. Everything is accessible, with options like indoor workouts, treadmill exercises, and step aerobics to mix things up and help you stay motivated. Equally motivating are the exciting challenges woven into the program. Some light, fun competition can go a long way in energizing you and keeping you focused — and you'll be rewarded for your efforts with streaks, awards, and badges. Of course, there is really nothing that can spur you to keep going more than seeing your hard work pay off. The program features built-in calorie tracking and step counting, so you'll always have clear insight into all you've achieved. The mindset that fueled the formation of WalkFit is simple: Walking really should be enough to stay fit and healthy. And it can be, but often people feel compelled to do the bigger things — the hardcore workouts and challenges that may burn you out before the scale even has a chance to budge. This program is designed to prevent that. It simplifies working out to its most basic, essentially serving as a powerful reminder that you actually can walk your way to a fitter body, better flexibility, and an overall healthier state. Because it's so easy to get started, you're much more likely to stick with WalkFit than you would a more intense program that leaves you feeling exhausted and frustrated. With this program, you can work your way up in a sensible way, which is the key to achieving results that actually last. As the pounds come off, you'll find yourself becoming stronger and more motivated to continue. It's so easy to get started, too. Just answer a few questions about your goals, body type, target zones, skill level, and sleep quality. The information is used to create a sustainable timeline and even a date by which you can expect to reach your target weight. Don't miss this opportunity to get fit — and stay fit! Get started with up to 61 percent off your first subscription period with WalkFit by Welltech. You are worth the effort!
The Independent
22 minutes ago
- The Independent
Failure to act on 999 call by authorities led to death of malnourished teenager and unwell mother
A teenager with learning difficulties would not have died if an ambulance had been sent to her home following a 999 call made three months before her body was found, a coroner has said. The bodies of Loraine Choulla, aged 18, and her mother Alphonsine Djiako Leuga were both discovered on May 21 last year at their home in Hartley Road, Radford, Nottingham. A week-long inquest heard that Loraine, who had Down's syndrome, was 'entirely dependent' on her mother, who had made a 999 call giving her address and postcode and asking for help on February 2 last year, while feeling unwell. During the 999 call, made shortly after 1pm on February 2, Ms Leuga groaned, requested an ambulance and said 'I need help to my daughter' and 'I'm in the bed, I feel cold and can't move' before cutting off the line. East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) did not send an ambulance to the address after the call was wrongly classed as being abandoned by the caller, the inquest at Nottingham Coroner's Court was told. Summing up the evidence and recording her conclusion on Friday, Nottingham Assistant Coroner Amanda Bewley said 47-year-old Ms Leuga, who born in Cameroon, had frequently refused to answer calls and had gone away for periods of longer than a month. The coroner said she was 'astonished' that Ms Leuga and her daughter were found after a member of the public contacted police after noticing he had not seen them for a lengthy period, rather than by professionals between February and May. After adding that the city council's adult social care department had 'missed opportunities to intervene' and potentially secure a different outcome, the coroner added: 'I am entirely satisfied that had EMAS sent an ambulance to Alphonsine that Loraine would not have died when she died. 'She would most probably still be alive. 'I am clear that Alphonsine died first and Loraine died afterwards.' Ms Leuga died from pneumonia between February 2 and February 8, the coroner recorded, while Loraine had died from dehydration and malnutrition and 'survived her mother by three weeks or more'. The coroner added that she was 'confident to a point of near certainty' that had an ambulance been sent to the address on February 2, Loraine would have been discovered and arrangements made for her needs to be met. The inquest was told that Ms Leuga was admitted to hospital for a blood transfusion in late January last year as she was critically ill with very low iron levels, and was given a 'pragmatic' discharge linked to her daughter's care needs. Pathologist Dr Stuart Hamilton told the hearing by video-link that the mother and daughter were both likely to have been dead for 'weeks to months' before they were found, rather than for days or hours. Dr Hamilton said his initial cause of death following a post-mortem examination on Ms Leuga was pneumonia of uncertain cause, while her daughter's cause of death could not be established. Answering questions from the coroner, the pathologist said he could not rule out that Ms Leuga had died on the day of the 999 call. The body of Loraine, who was born in Italy, showed no evidence of any third party involvement. Dr Hamilton said of the teenager: 'Unfortunately, based on the post-mortem examination and additional tests alone, it is my view that the cause of death is classed as unascertained – that is, I am not able to give a cause of death on the balance of probabilities.' In a statement issued after the inquest, Keeley Sheldon, director of quality at EMAS, said: 'I am truly sorry that we did not respond as we should have to Alphonsine Djiako Leuga and Loraine Choulla. 'Our deepest condolences remain with their family. 'We fully accept the coroner's findings. After our internal investigation, we made changes to our policies, procedures and training to ensure this does not happen in future.'
Times
44 minutes ago
- Times
Hospitals face paying £8,000 a shift to cover striking doctors
Hospitals could be forced to pay as much as £8,000 to cover the shift of a single striking doctor if multiple consultants are needed to staff some wards overnight. Advice on the British Medical Association (BMA) website says consultants asked to cover shifts overnight in a hospital should have a second consultant on call with them to cover higher-level duties. According to the BMA's rate card, for each junior doctor's overnight shift during the strike, two consultants in London would cover it for £334 per hour, or £4,008 for an overnight shift, totalling £8,016 for both consultants. Hospital leaders described it as 'worrying' and said the funds needed to cover a striking doctor were 'unacceptable'. One junior doctor, who is not striking in this round of industrial action but did last year, said some consultants were 'slower' at day-to-day activities on the ward, which sometimes led to multiple consultants covering one overnight shift. 'The type of things that you are doing overnight [are] quite different to the job that you do as a consultant during the day [but] something that the junior, the resident doctors, core and foundation trainees do all the time. Some of these might be quite practical and logistical things that if you're a consultant [you are] not physically used to doing on the computer system. They're the kind of things you need to do quickly overnight,' the doctor said. While consultants could very ably clinically assess patients, they might be 'a bit slow' at the tasks needed overnight, the doctor suggested. 'Sometimes they feel safer, I think … having more of them on because, more from a speed perspective,' the doctor added. • How much do NHS doctors really earn? Here are the facts BMA guidance says some consultants may have 'concerns' about working on wards. ''Acting down' to provide cover for absent resident doctor colleagues may involve tasks that you have not had to perform for many years, and you may have concerns about the ability to carry out certain tasks involved in ward work,' the advice states. 'A consultant has a professional obligation to act within their sphere of competence. As such, you need to be clear with your employer that you do not feel that you can safely and competently perform the work required and that doing [so] may expose you to enhanced risk of medico-legal consequences. If your employer refuses to take the necessary action to make alternative arrangements […] then, as above, you will need to follow our guidance on raising concerns.' One hospital executive said that while the hospital had not used more than one consultant to cover shifts, the cost of cover ran 'into the millions' and further cuts to NHS services might be needed as a result. 'The cost of consultant cover during the period, which runs into millions of pounds, [is a] huge amount of money that is unfunded. It's well publicised that there's a real tension at the moment in the NHS between safe timely services and financial viability,' said the executive, who did not wish to be named. • Striking doctor called off picket line to treat 'very sick' babies 'We're trying to navigate our way along that. Inevitably, if we accumulate debt as a result of paying consultants more to pick up these shifts, that money is not going to be funded by our NHS. So it would be down for each individual NHS organisation to make further cuts to offset the cost of the strikes.' Saffron Cordery, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, said: 'Trust leaders are working to minimise the harm and disruption caused by the strike. Ensuring adequate cover to keep patients safe is expensive and there is no extra money to cover this so the unexpected cost is bound to impact on the services they can provide. 'It's really worrying to see the demands for excessive rates to provide this cover. The withdrawal of labour by one staff group should not be seen as a financial opportunity for another. That is totally unacceptable.'
