The RCP has responded to the latest NHS monthly performance data.
Sir Andrew Goddard, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said:
“The targeted focus on people waiting longest is showing some early signs of success, with those waiting 104 weeks at their lowest level since September 2021. This progress is down to hospital teams and clinicians working above and beyond normal hours, as they have been since the pandemic began.
“But we cannot celebrate too soon. The rest of the waiting lists are proving very difficult to address and pressure is felt across the whole system with the second highest A&E attendances on record. It is undoubtedly going to be hard to eliminate the backlog, particularly with the prospect of a hot summer and a likely strong flu season in the winter.
“Ultimately, what the NHS needs most of all is more workforce to tackle these waits and provide care sustainably in the long-term. That clarion call seems to fall on deaf ears, but it is one that needs to be heard for the sake of the health of us all.”
