NHS waiting list hits record high as more also wait longer in A&E

Patient waits in A&E continue to get worse and more people than ever are on the waiting list for NHS treatment, new figures have shown.

Data from NHS England shows just 81.4% of A&E patients were seen within four hours in November – the worst figure on record and set against a target of 95%.

The number of people waiting for treatment, such as knee and hip replacements, was also at its highest-ever level – 4.45 million – in October.

Just 84.7% of patients are starting treatment within 18 weeks against a target of 92%.

Targets on how long people should wait for cancer treatment also continue to be missed, the data shows.