Demand for elective care highest in seven years

There were 3.2 million patients waiting at the end of June – the most since January 2008.

Eight trusts did not report their waiting lists. NHS England said that if estimates for these trusts were factored in, the waiting list would come to “just over 3.4 million patients”.

Accident and emergency departments experienced a busy June, with emergency admissions at the highest level in any June since records began in 2010.

There were 458,547 patients admitted through A&Es in June – a 10.9 per cent increase since June 2011.

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Referral to treatment, A&E, ambulance, 111, cancer, diagnostics and delayed transfers of care data is now published on the same day on a monthly basis. There is a six week lag in publishing the information. The latest report covers June.

Despite the growing number of patients waiting for consultant led elective treatment, providers still managed to meet the target for 92 per cent of patients to start treatment within 18 weeks - 93.2 per cent of patients started treatment.

The number of patients waiting over a year to start treatment is at its highest level in two years. There were 750 patients waiting in June.

The proportion of patients with an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer seen within two weeks between April and June was lower than in the previous quarter. Only 93.6 per cent of patients were seen within two weeks compared to 94.7 per cent in January to March.

For patients with breast cancer symptoms 93.4 per cent were seen within two weeks compared to 94.7 per cent in the previous quarter.