see url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56752599
see full report...
Quote<<<
Around 4.7 million people were waiting for routine operations and
procedures in England in February - the most since 2007, NHS England
figures show.
Nearly 388,000 people were waiting more than a year for non-urgent
surgery compared with just 1,600 before the pandemic began.
During January and February, the pressure on hospitals caused by
Covid-19 was particularly acute.
NHS England said two million operations took place despite the winter peak.
However, surgeons said hospitals were still under huge pressure due to
the second wave of Covid, which had led to "a year of uncertainty, pain
and isolation" for patients waiting for planned treatment.
Speaking on a visit to Dartmouth, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the
government would "make sure that we give the NHS all the funding that it
needs... to beat the backlog".
He said the situation had been "made worse by Covid", and added: "We do
need people to take up their appointments and to get the treatment that
they need."
NHS England recently announced that a £1bn fund would be used to help
trusts restore operations and other services to get as many people
treated as possible.
>>>End of Quote
