The reverse came after the NHS met its push to achieve its interim target of 65% of patients receiving treatment within 18 weeks by March 2026.
Nuffield Trust deputy director of research, Sarah Scobie said: ‘With the overall size of the waiting list going up again, the uncomfortable truth is that there are now more people waiting for care, often in fear, distress and confusion, than there were last month.'
Tim Gardner, deputy director of policy at The Health Foundation, said: ‘The waiting list for routine hospital treatment increased to 7.22m in April, with a slight worsening of waiting times and the number of very long waits, following rapid gains in March ahead of the interim targets.'
Corridor care
For the first time, the NHS has also published data on corridor care in hospitals.
The figures show that on average, 2,241 patients each day experienced corridor care in emergency departments, while a further 669 patients received care in similar settings elsewhere in hospital.
NHS analysis found 20 trusts accounted for more than half of the cases of corridor care in emergency departments, while 20 trusts also accounted for more than two-thirds of cases of corridor care elsewhere in hospitals.
Scobie commented: ‘Over 50,000 people were stuck on a trolley waiting to be admitted to a ward for more than 12 hours in May – that's much more than this time last year. Scrutinising the longest waits is essential for understanding whether the NHS is truly on the road to recovery.'
Gardner added: ‘To deliver on the Government's ambitions to cut waiting times, end corridor care and wider changes to improve care outside of hospital, the NHS needs to be able to recruit and retain a highly skilled workforce, backed by strong management. Ensuring the upcoming workforce plan is robust and credible will be critical to the success of the 10-Year Health Plan.'
Professor Frank Smith, Vice President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said: ‘Our message to the new secretary of state is clear: if the Government wants waiting lists to fall faster, reform must be matched with investment. Expanding theatre capacity, increasing bed numbers and modernising NHS infrastructure will give teams the headroom to treat more patients and reduce waits more quickly.'
