Furthermore, just 83.6% of patients arriving at A&E were treated or admitted in four hours.
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Hospital waiting times for patients have hit their worst level since records began, new NHS figures show.
One in six patients waited longer than four hours in A&E in England during October, the worst-ever performance since a target was introduced in 2004.
Furthermore, just 83.6% of patients arriving at A&E were treated or admitted in four hours.
The target is 95% but it has not been met since July 2015.
The data also showed that in September, 84.8% of patients started treatment within 18 weeks against a target of 92% – a continued decline in performance.
The target was last met in February 2016.
The target to start cancer treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral is also being missed. Some 76.9% of cancer patients started treatment in 62 days in September, below the 85% target.
Overall, more than 4.4 million patients are on the waiting list.
An NHS spokesman said: “These figures show that while NHS staff are looking after a markedly higher number of older and sicker patients, a higher number of patients are being seen quickly than a year ago.”
The target is 95% but it has not been met since July 2015.
Scrapping targets
In March, NHS England announced proposals to scrap the key targets for patients to be seen in A&E within four hours, or to receive an operation within 18 weeks.
Under new targets being piloted, those patients with the most serious conditions such as heart attacks, strokes and sepsis, would receive rapid treatment within an hour, while people with more minor conditions can expect to wait longer in A&E.
Data would be published on how long patients spend on average in A&E and the 18-week target would be replaced by an average marker of the time it takes to start treatment.
The Royal College of Surgeons and the charity Versus Arthritis called on party leaders to safeguard the 18-week target.
Writing to all party leaders, Professor Derek Alderson, president of the Royal College of Surgeons and Liam O’Toole, chief executive of Versus Arthritis, said: “Despite being a statutory requirement, the 18-week standard has increasingly been forgotten.”
Prof Alderson added: “It just isn’t acceptable for so many people to languish on these lists, with deteriorating physical and mental health as they wait for treatment.”
Mr O’Toole added: “The continued failure to reach the target means that large numbers of people with arthritis are living in a world of pain, unable to work, move or function and disconnected for months on end from a normal life.”
The Society for Acute Medicine said acute and emergency care in the NHS is “imploding” before the expected winter crisis hits.
‘Bleakest winter in NHS history’
Reacting to the new figures, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says the four-hour A&E target not being met “disgraceful”, and that “a labour government will increase NHS funding”.
Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “The Conservatives have ushered in the worst NHS crisis on record.
“Under Boris Johnson the NHS is in crisis and we’re heading for a winter of abject misery for patients.
“Our A&Es are overwhelmed, more so than ever. In every community there’s an ever growing queue of people waiting for treatment.
“The Tories spent a decade cutting over 15,000 beds. Now they should apologise to every patient languishing on a trolley and waiting longer for treatment.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has replied saying “huge demand” is the cause of the waits, and that the government has invested “the biggest” amount “in the NHS in modern times”.
Nuffield Trust chief economist, Professor John Appleby, said: “These figures show the next Government will immediately be faced with one of the bleakest winters in the NHS’s history.
“We have many months to go until seasonal pressures really hit the NHS, but October has already seen an unprecedented slump with performance against the main A&E target worse than ever.
“The health service is seeing far more patients, yet one in six is now waiting more than four hours in A&E. If the usual trends continue after Christmas, that would head towards one in five.
“Meanwhile the number of people waiting on trolleys in corridors because no beds are available has already hit 80,000 – something we have only seen before in the very coldest part of the year.
“If this trend keeps going, I fear we could see 100,000 people stuck on trolleys this coming January.
“As the election promises roll in, we should be under no illusion about the money, staff and time it will take to turn this situation around.”
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HeadlineNHS England hospital waiting times worst since records began, new figures show
Short HeadlineEngland hospital waiting times hit 15-year high
StandfirstJust 83.6% of patients arriving at A&E were treated or admitted in four hours, missing the 95% target.
Hospital waiting times for patients have hit their worst level since records began, figures show.
One in six patients waited longer than four hours in A&E in England during October, the worst-ever performance since a target was introduced in 2004, the figures show.
Furthermore, just 83.6% of patients arriving at A&E were treated or admitted in four hours.
Labour shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “The Conservatives have ushered in the worst NHS crisis on record.
“Under Boris Johnson the NHS is in crisis and we’re heading for a winter of abject misery for patients.
“Our A&Es are overwhelmed, more so than ever. In every community there’s an ever growing queue of people waiting for treatment.
“The Tories spent a decade cutting over 15,000 beds. Now they should apologise to every patient languishing on a trolley and waiting longer for treatment.”
Nuffield Trust chief economist, Professor John Appleby, said: “These figures show the next Government will immediately be faced with one of the bleakest winters in the NHS’s history.
“We have many months to go until seasonal pressures really hit the NHS, but October has already seen an unprecedented slump with performance against the main A&E target worse than ever.
“The health service is seeing far more patients, yet one in six is now waiting more than four hours in A&E. If the usual trends continue after Christmas, that would head towards one in five.
“Meanwhile the number of people waiting on trolleys in corridors because no beds are available has already hit 80,000 – something we have only seen before in the very coldest part of the year.
“If this trend keeps going, I fear we could see 100,000 people stuck on trolleys this coming January.
“As the election promises roll in, we should be under no illusion about the money, staff and time it will take to turn this situation around.”
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said of the latest waiting time figures: “The Conservatives have ushered in the worst NHS crisis on record.
“Under Boris Johnson the NHS is in crisis and we’re heading for a winter of abject misery for patients.
“Our A&Es are overwhelmed, more so than ever. In every community there’s an ever growing queue of people waiting for treatment.
“The Tories spent a decade cutting over 15,000 beds. Now they should apologise to every patient languishing on a trolley and waiting longer for treatment.
“These figures starkly show why patients desperately need Labour’s £40 billion rescue plan.”
Hospital waiting times for patients have hit their worst level since records began, new NHS figures show.
One in six patients waited longer than four hours in A&E in England during October, the worst-ever performance since a target was introduced in 2004.
Furthermore, just 83.6% of patients arriving at A&E were treated or admitted in four hours.
The target is 95% but it has not been met since July 2015.
The data also showed that in September, 84.8% of patients started treatment within 18 weeks against a target of 92% – a continued decline in performance.
The target was last met in February 2016.
The target to start cancer treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral is also being missed. Some 76.9% of cancer patients started treatment in 62 days in September, below the 85% target.
Overall, more than 4.4 million patients are on the waiting list.
An NHS spokesman said: “These figures show that while NHS staff are looking after a markedly higher number of older and sicker patients, a higher number of patients are being seen quickly than a year ago.”
The target is 95% but it has not been met since July 2015.
Scrapping targets
In March, NHS England announced proposals to scrap the key targets for patients to be seen in A&E within four hours, or to receive an operation within 18 weeks.
Under new targets being piloted, those patients with the most serious conditions such as heart attacks, strokes and sepsis, would receive rapid treatment within an hour, while people with more minor conditions can expect to wait longer in A&E.
Data would be published on how long patients spend on average in A&E and the 18-week target would be replaced by an average marker of the time it takes to start treatment.
The Royal College of Surgeons and the charity Versus Arthritis called on party leaders to safeguard the 18-week target.
Writing to all party leaders, Professor Derek Alderson, president of the Royal College of Surgeons and Liam O’Toole, chief executive of Versus Arthritis, said: “Despite being a statutory requirement, the 18-week standard has increasingly been forgotten.”
Prof Alderson added: “It just isn’t acceptable for so many people to languish on these lists, with deteriorating physical and mental health as they wait for treatment.”
Mr O’Toole added: “The continued failure to reach the target means that large numbers of people with arthritis are living in a world of pain, unable to work, move or function and disconnected for months on end from a normal life.”
The Society for Acute Medicine said acute and emergency care in the NHS is “imploding” before the expected winter crisis hits.
‘Bleakest winter in NHS history’
Reacting to the new figures, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says the four-hour A&E target not being met “disgraceful”, and that “a labour government will increase NHS funding”.
Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “The Conservatives have ushered in the worst NHS crisis on record.
“Under Boris Johnson the NHS is in crisis and we’re heading for a winter of abject misery for patients.
“Our A&Es are overwhelmed, more so than ever. In every community there’s an ever growing queue of people waiting for treatment.
“The Tories spent a decade cutting over 15,000 beds. Now they should apologise to every patient languishing on a trolley and waiting longer for treatment.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has replied saying “huge demand” is the cause of the waits, and that the government has invested “the biggest” amount “in the NHS in modern times”.
Nuffield Trust chief economist, Professor John Appleby, said: “These figures show the next Government will immediately be faced with one of the bleakest winters in the NHS’s history.
“We have many months to go until seasonal pressures really hit the NHS, but October has already seen an unprecedented slump with performance against the main A&E target worse than ever.
“The health service is seeing far more patients, yet one in six is now waiting more than four hours in A&E. If the usual trends continue after Christmas, that would head towards one in five.
“Meanwhile the number of people waiting on trolleys in corridors because no beds are available has already hit 80,000 – something we have only seen before in the very coldest part of the year.
“If this trend keeps going, I fear we could see 100,000 people stuck on trolleys this coming January.
“As the election promises roll in, we should be under no illusion about the money, staff and time it will take to turn this situation around.”
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