NHS patient waiting lists have surged to another record high of six million people, according to NHS England figures released today.

The huge number represents patients waiting for routine hospital treatments — and compares to 4.2 million prior to the start of the pandemic, itself a record high at the time.

Labour shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said: “Record numbers of people are waiting for care and they are waiting longer than ever before, often in pain and distress.