Nhs Waiting List Down After Three Months Of Rises

The NHS waiting database successful England has fallen aft 3 months of consecutive rises.

At nan extremity of September, it stood astatine 7.39 million, down from 7.41 cardinal nan period before.

Of those waiting, 61.8% of patients had been waiting little than 18 weeks.

That is nan champion capacity for much than 2 years, but is good beneath nan target of 92%, which nan authorities has promised it will deed by nan extremity of nan parliament.

The NHS besides released figures showing much than 1 cardinal group came guardant for flu jabs successful nan past week aft a vaccination "SOS" was issued past week amid nan early emergence successful flu cases this year.

Rates of flu are 3 times higher than location were astatine this shape past winter.

Some 14.4 cardinal group person been vaccinated, NHS England said, which is somewhat much than had been vaccinated astatine this shape past year.

The complete 65s, those pinch definite wellness conditions, pregnant women and nether 16s are each eligible for flu jabs connected nan NHS.

NHS England aesculapian head Prof Meghana Pandit said nan driblet successful waiting lists was "fantastic news".

But she said it looked group to beryllium a difficult wintertime which would spot nan NHS stretched to its "limits".

"Flu is peaking early and looking for illustration it will beryllium agelong lasting, while business action is starting connected Friday."

A five-day walkout by resident doctors, nan caller sanction for inferior doctors, originates astatine 07:00 GST connected Friday.

It is nan 13th walkout of nan long-running conflict by nan British Medical Association and comes aft talks collapsed down past week betwixt nan doctors' national and government.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has called nan actions of nan BMA "morally reprehensible".

On nan autumn successful nan waiting list, Streeting said nan finance being made was paying off.

He added: "There's a agelong measurement to go, but nan NHS is now connected nan roadworthy to recovery."