Improving NHS Performance Not Going To Be Quick Or Easy

NHS staff managed a record number of A&E attendances for any June and more than half a million emergency admissions, new figures show.

Hospitals reported that they dealt with more than 2.29 million attendances to their A&E departments and over half a million emergency admissions (536,884) – more than any other June.

Last month saw several yellow heat health warnings alongside four days of industrial action by junior doctors, which created additional pressure for frontline teams.

A&E attendances were up 3.1% on the previous year and emergency admissions were up 7.2% on the preceding 12-month period.

In June, 74.6% of patients completed A&E treatment within four hours against a target of 95%. Provisional figures show that 9.8% of attendees spent 12 hours or more in A&E last month, slightly down on May (10%) but higher than the same month last year (7.7%).

However, the number of patients waiting more than four-hours in A&E from decision to admit to admission was at 128,114 – the lowest since September 2023 (124,956) while overall performance against the 95% target was 74.6%.

Ambulance services responded to 729,345 incidents and answered 800,288 calls to 999, more calls per day than the month before and in June 2023. However, response times for Category 1, 2 and 3 callouts were all slower than the month before.

The latest performance statistics also show that the waiting list rose in May by 31,249, with the overall backlog at 7.6 million and an estimated 6.38 million people waiting for treatment.

The number of patients waiting more than the 18-week constitutional standard fell by 51,583 between April and May, but the proportion within 18 weeks (59.1%) was lower than the same month last year (59.5%), against a constitutional standard of 92%. There were 3.11 million referrals waiting for longer than the constitutional standard in May.

Staff worked hard to deliver a record number of diagnostic tests and checks in May, with 2.42 million patients checked – up more than a fifth on before the pandemic (2 million in May 2019).

The NHS has met the 28-day cancer faster diagnosis target with more than three quarters of people receiving a definitive diagnosis or all clear within four weeks in May, and more than 209,000 people seen within the ambition.

Hardworking NHS staff delivered over 55,000 cancer treatments in May – with more than nine in ten happening within one month (91%) and more people were seen after a GP referral than any other month on record (270,583.)

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said:
“Frontline teams are continuing to work exceptionally hard under significant pressure to provide the best care they can for patients, but everyone recognises that access and waiting times are currently far from what the public have a right to expect.

”Despite the challenges, it is vital that people come forward when they have health concerns – a huge amount of work is going on to diagnose more cancers at an earlier stage, so if you do have worrying symptoms, it’s important to see your GP as soon as possible.

“Everyone working in the health service is committed to working with the government, and with patients and the public, to tackle these challenges, to improve performance and quality in core services, and in the longer term to build an NHS fit for the future.”

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said:
“The rising waiting lists and surging demand these new figures show can only reinforce the new Health and Social Care Secretary’s assertion that the NHS is broken. Staff are working flat out to deliver for their patients, but a decade of underinvestment coupled with the pandemic, some very difficult winters and more than a year of industrial action have taken their toll on NHS performance, staff morale and patient satisfaction.

“A new government is an opportunity to transform the health service for the better and we welcome its recognition that turning around performance is not going to be quick or easy. This is going to be a long-term project and NHS leaders and their teams will require funding and support if they are to achieve key performance targets, some of which have not been hit for almost a decade.

“The Secretary of State is highlighting the right issues, and ending disputes with junior doctors and with GPs must continue to be a priority if the NHS is going to start making real inroads into cutting waiting lists and improving performance.

“We also welcome the announcement of the independent review of NHS performance to be led by Lord Ara Darzi. We look forward to working with Lord Darzi on this review which will feed into the government’s upcoming 10-year plan for the NHS.”

Tim Gardner, Assistant Director of Policy at the Health Foundation, said:
‘The election of a new Labour government is a significant moment for the health service, which is arguably experiencing the worst crisis in its 76-year history. While there are no quick fixes, with the right blend of policy change, innovation and investment, the new government can put the NHS back on its feet.

‘Today’s statistics serve as a stark reminder of the huge mountain to climb. The NHS waiting time standards Labour has pledged to meet by the end of this parliament have now been routinely missed for nearly a decade. Performance is at or close to the worst levels on record, with 7.6 million waiting for routine hospital care and a quarter waiting over four hours in A&E.

‘The latest GP patient survey shows that while patients’ overall experience of general practice remains positive, too many people are struggling to get through to their practice. The government’s recent announcement of renewed focus on NHS performance is welcome, but as these data show there is no time for delaying the urgent action that is needed.

‘The government has made economic growth its primary mission but a thriving economy can only be built on the foundations of a healthy population. To succeed, the government must take a long-term approach to create a strong, sustainable NHS alongside renewed action on the wider social and economic factors that shape people’s health.’