NHS waiting lists could rise to 14 million in England next year
August 17, 2021
We recently reported on NHS waiting lists topping 5 million for the first time, and now, according to analysis by the Institute of Fiscal Studies, NHS waiting lists could increase to almost 14 million by the end of 2022. They have also warned that there is a huge hidden backlog of patients waiting to come forward for treatment.
The IFS have said that, in order to stop numbers getting too high, the NHS needs to treat even more patients than it did before the pandemic.
This report argues there are millions of “missing patients” from the waiting lists who might have been expected to join it but haven’t . This may be because they’re worried about Covid infections, or their conditions haven’t been picked up yet.
The researchers have looked at different scenarios depending on what happens next to these patients.
In one scenario, if the NHS can’t treat more patients than it did pre-pandemic, the waiting list could rise to 14 million by next autumn.
Even in the most optimistic projection, the IFS says it could rise to nine million by 2025. However, that would need the NHS to be able to work at 5% more capacity than it did before the pandemic. It would also come at a cost of at least £2bn.
If the NHS can’t boost capacity, the IFS warns, longer waiting lists will be with us for years to come.
Hospital Negligence and Waiting Lists
Whilst being on a waiting list is not necessarily a reason to make a medical negligence claim, the effects that a prolonged wait on the list can cause can be a reason to make a medical negligence claim. The biggest problem that long waiting lists can cause is delays in diagnosis and delays in treatment.
Delays in diagnosis and delays in treatment are two of the most common enquiries that we deal with here at The Medical Negligence Experts. They can cause a lot of problems with people’s conditions. Delays in diagnosis and treatment can mean that conditions get worse or develop. In the case of some conditions, such as cancer, they may spread or worsen.
In the most extreme cases, delays in diagnosis or treatment due to waiting lists can mean that conditions become incurable.
Treatment should begin as soon as possible after the diagnosis of illness. Delays can cause a patient’s health to deteriorate, impede their recovery, and even shorten their life expectancy. If there has been a delay in diagnosis or treatment due to hospital waiting lists that has caused the condition to get worse, then you may be able to claim for medical negligence.
How We Can Help
Here at The Medical Negligence Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with medical negligence claims. This includes hospital negligence. Contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138761 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.