TORY ministers have been urged to make reducing NHS waiting times a priority after the number of people in England on lists to start routine hospital treatment rose to a record high. 

The latest figures from NHS England, published today, show that 5.45 million people were waiting to start treatment at the end of June, the highest number since records began in August 2007, as the health service remains under pressure from the pandemic-related backlog of care. 

The number of patients waiting more than a year to start treatment was 304,803 in June – down from 336,733 the previous month but about six times the number from a year earlier. 

Urgent cancer referrals are up 50 per cent on the same time in 2020, with GPs making 230,110 in June.

NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson said that some health trusts were busier than ever amid a multitude of pressures on the service in the aftermath of waves of Covid-19 infection. 

Opposition politicians called on the government to prioritise patient care and referrals to ensure that people are not left behind. 

Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “Behind every statistic is a desperately worried patient languishing longer in pain and distress at risk of serious illness or permanent disability.

“Bringing down waiting times must be the priority for ministers, not the distracting top-down reorganisation Sajid Javid is pushing ahead with.

“Instead, ministers must deliver a credible long-term rescue plan for our NHS and social care sector.”

Unions echoed the plea for greater resources, particularly investment in the workforce. 

Unite national officer for health Jackie Williams said: “With an uncertain winter ahead of us, this is the time to stabilise the NHS, giving trusts the chance to focus on bringing waiting lists down. 

“At the same time, the Treasury should be investing in a robust funding programme to support the education and career development of new health professionals.”

Unison deputy head of health Helga Pile said: “The government must invest now to retain existing staff and attract sufficient new recruits over the next few years.

“Without comprehensive action to deal with understaffing, waiting lists will continue to spiral.”

The calls coincide with Labour accusing the Scottish government of failing to support the NHS after ambulance waiting times north of the border more than doubled for those suspected to have serious conditions.

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said that it is recruiting and training extra staff and buying more ambulances to help reduce delays, while working closely with hospitals.