![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/0001-friday-october-27-file-855229199.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTHE NHS waiting list has hit another record high as senior medics warned of a \u201cchaotic and dangerous spiral of decline\u201d in the health service.<\/p>\n
Some 7.77million appointments were being waited for by people in England at the end of September, up from 7.75million in August.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Emergency departments also faced their busiest October on record, with 2.2million rushing to A&Es last month.<\/p>\n
Doctors say the data suggests the situation will only get worse over the coming months.<\/p>\n
Dr Tim Cooksley, of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: \u201cWith a sense of tragic inevitability, patients will endure long waits, degrading corridor care and inevitable harm over winter.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are imminently in, and many hospitals are already experiencing, a further chaotic and dangerous situation to which there is no easy solution.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was an increase in delays of more than 12 hours in emergency departments which is truly terrible for patients.\u201d<\/p>\n Health officials and the Government have both highlighted ongoing strike action in the NHS for hindering attempts to address the backlog.<\/p>\n Industrial action has cost the health service more than \u00a31billion since it started last December.<\/p>\n Hospitals in England are being allowed to cut back on some pre-planned care to cover the costs of strikes.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: \u201cThese strikes have had a significant impact on patients and staff, and created unavoidable financial costs.<\/p>\n \u201cToday's figures are a stark reminder of the ongoing pressures the NHS is facing, particularly in emergency care with significant demand for ambulances and A&E.\u201d<\/p>\n Professor Vivien Lees, of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: "Winter pressures have already started to affect the system.\u00a0 <\/p>\n "We are concerned that with increased demand, record staff vacancies and industrial action, this will all continue to hold back recovery efforts.\u00a0"<\/p>\n The latest data show the overall waiting list is made up of 6.5million individual patients, with many waiting for multiple treatments.<\/p>\n The figure is a million higher than the 5.5million estimated by NHS England elective recovery chief Sir Jim Mackey last November.<\/p>\n An extra million patients are on waiting lists compared to this time last year, forced to put their lives on hold, in pain and discomfort<\/p>\n Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made cutting waiting lists one of his five key priorities in January but numbers have continued to increase month-on-month.<\/p>\n Royal College of Nursing chief nurse Professor Nicola Ranger,\u00a0said: \u201cThe government has lost control of NHS waiting times and the record numbers waiting increases each month on their watch."\u00a0<\/p>\n Wes Streeting, Labour's shadow health secretary, said: "Rishi Sunak\u2019s pledge to cut waiting lists has effectively been abandoned, with the Prime Minister\u2019s choosing to blame NHS staff instead of fixing the problem himself. <\/p>\n "An extra million patients are on waiting lists compared to this time last year, forced to put their lives on hold, in pain and discomfort."<\/p>\n Liberal Democrat health and social care spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: \u201cSunak\u2019s NHS pledge lies in tatters. He\u2019s failed patients, failed NHS staff and failed the country."<\/p>\n Despite the strains caused by strikes, the health service has reduced the number of people waiting the longest for appointments.<\/p>\n Year-long waits dropped to 391,122 in September, down from 396,643 the month before.<\/p>\n The figures also showed 2,800 cancer patients waited more than a month to start treatment in September \u2014 the second highest number on record.<\/p>\n Minesh Patel, of MacMillan Cancer Support, said: \u201cIt is disappointing to yet again see that waiting times for cancer tests and treatment in England have worsened.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThese delays can have a devastating impact on people\u2019s lives and result in a worse prognosis.\u201d<\/p>\n Stage four lung cancer patient Jules Fielder, 39, from East Sussex, said the pressures are making people who live with cancer \u201cfeel helpless\u201d.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/box-mounjaro-tirzepatide-injection-drug-858325777-1.jpg\")
<\/picture>WEIGHT OFF <\/span><\/p>\n'King Kong' of fat jabs gets NHS green light after turbocharging weight loss<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/2jm27hf-close-up-doctors-hand-804692080.jpg\")
<\/picture>HUGE STEP <\/span><\/p>\n'Revolutionary' first blood tests for Alzheimer's will be on the NHS within years<\/h3>\n
Most read in Health<\/h2>\n
<\/picture>WEIGHT OFF <\/span><\/p>\n‘King Kong’ of fat jabs gets NHS green light after turbocharging weight loss<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/RW-COMP-MOUTH-GRAPHICv3.jpg\")
<\/picture>OPEN WIDE<\/span><\/p>\nThe subtle sign of mouth cancer you can hear – and 3 other red flag symptoms<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/RB-COMP-BECKHAM-FAN-3.jpg\")
<\/picture>BECK IN TIME <\/span><\/p>\nI nearly died twice – then David Beckham’s incredible gesture saved my life<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/newspress-collage-24669498-1699450116507.jpg\")
<\/picture>MOTHER’S INTUITION <\/span><\/p>\nI held my baby and realised she might die – mums need to trust their gut<\/h3>\n
Read More on The Sun<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/katie-wedding.jpg\")
<\/picture>![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/photo-illustration-facebook-logo-displayed-820404043.jpg\"){kind=logo}
<\/picture>