Hospital waiting times at worst-ever level

Hospital performance in England is at its worst level on record, data shows.

Key targets for cancer, hospital care and A&E have been missed for over three years - with delays for hospital care and in A&E hitting their highest levels since both targets were introduced.

The monthly figures - the last before the election - prompted Labour and the Liberal Democrats to attack the Tories' record on the NHS.

But Prime Minister Boris Johnson said "huge demand" was to blame.

He said only the Tories could be trusted to have a "strong, dynamic economy" to ensure the rises in the NHS budget being planned could be made.

"I'm afraid when I look at the rival proposals and the economic disaster that Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party would cause, that will make it impossible for us in the long term to fund the NHS."

But Labour leader Mr Corbyn said: "It is disgusting and it is a probably of the lack of staff and the lack of funding."

Liberal Democrat health spokeswoman Luciana Berger added the Tories had a "shameful" record.

All the parties are featuring to growth the NHS finances. The government announced a five-yr funding plan closing yr so one can see the the front-line finances rise by three.Four% a year up to 2023.

On Wednesday Labour said it would spend more - 3.Nine% greater a year - even as the Lib Dems are offering to apply a penny upward push in profits tax to make investments extra in social care, intellectual fitness and public fitness.

How horrific is the present day overall performance?

The contemporary month-to-month overall performance record is essentially the worst on report considering that targets started to be delivered inside the 2000s.

The figures show:

4.Forty two million patients have been at the ready listing for clinic remedy at the quit of September, the best number on report

84.Eight% of them were ready beneath 18 weeks - below the ninety two% target and the lowest level recorded because the goal commenced in 2012

76.Nine% of most cancers sufferers starting treatment inside 62 days - underneath the eighty five% target

eighty three.6% of A&E patients have been admitted or transferred within 4 hours at some point of October - below the ninety five% goal and the worst performance since the target turned into brought in 2004

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also missing their targets, although health is devolved so NHS decisions are taken by the administrations in those parts of the UK.

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'I was left in excruciating pain'

Frances Reid, fifty five, is one among many sufferers to have faced a protracted wait.

She stated she was left in "excruciating" pain awaiting a hip alternative.

Ms Reid, from South Cambridgeshire, become referred for surgical treatment in January 2018, after struggling for the previous two years with hip pain.

She have to have been seen in April 2018, however waited till July for her surgical procedure.

The NHS ended up purchasing her to be dealt with at a non-public unit due to the wait.

"The final weeks have been without a doubt difficult," she says.

"I changed into walking up six, seven times a night time and needed to use on foot sticks to get round.

"Daily tasks like shopping became very tough."

Health leaders worry for NHS

Dr Nick Scriven, of the Society of Acute Medicine, said: "These figures are truly disturbing as we have not even reached the 'conventional' winter duration yet."

He said urgent motion was wished, caution the gadget became "imploding".

British Medical Association chief Dr Chaand Nagpaul said the NHS become going through a "disaster".

"This is absolutely unfair for patients and group of workers."

But Chris Hopson, chief govt of NHS Providers, which represents health managers, tweeted senior workforce should be more cautious with the language they used, criticising the use of imploding especially.

However, he admitted he become concerned approximately the "big strain" at the system at this factor earlier than the overall onset of wintry weather.

NHS England conceded hospitals have been below stress, seeing "greater older and sicker sufferers".

A spokesman stated, with iciness coming, hospitals could be commencing more beds.

But he entreated the general public to play their component through getting the flu jab and the usage of the 111 phone line and NHS on-line services "as first port of call for non-emergencies".