THE NHS is facing a “tough winter” with “really significant pressures” as patients continue to wait for treatments, the head of the health service warned today.

NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard said that she expects the backlog of patients will “get worse before it gets better” and that caring for half a million Covid-19 patients as well as a surge in demand for emergency care has contributed to pressures.

She warned that there are thousands of patients stuck in hospital because they are waiting for social care support, which may hamper tackling the record waiting list.