NURSES have said latest all-time high NHS patient waiting lists is the reason they have been driven to strike action.

Damning figures from NHS England show that in October 7.1 million people were waiting for treatment, up 100,000 since August and the highest number since records began in 2007.

Alarmingly the number of people waiting for emergency treatment increased by more than a third, with 43,792 waiting more than 12 hours.

At the same time NHS staffing shortages were also at record highs with more than 110,000 vacancies, including 47,000 nurses.

The Royal College of Nurses (RCN), which is expected imminently to announce dates for nationwide strike action for the first time in its 106-year history, and said the figures illustrated one of the reasons why its members voted for action.

The RCN represents 300,000 nurses who it says have suffered a 20 per cent real-terms pay cut since the Tories were elected in 2010.

RCN director for England Patricia Marquis said: “These record waiting lists and delays for treatment in A&E are exactly why nursing has taken the historic decision to strike.

“These pressures cannot continue. Staff are doing everything they can to treat patients, but there are simply not enough nurses.

“The waiting lists will only come down when there is proper investment in the workforce, which will stop thousands leaving each year and bring in new nursing staff. 

“One of the simplest ways to do that is to pay fairly. Nurses, patients and the public can see it. Ministers must act.”

Sara Gorton, head of health for Unison, which is also balloting NHS staff for strike action, said: “The NHS is in danger of reaching the point of no return. 

“Waiting lists will simply not improve unless ministers address chronic understaffing. 

“Improving pay would make an immediate difference. Without a decent wage rise, health workers will continue to leave and patients suffer.

“NHS staff are voting Yes to strike for the sake of patients and a better NHS. But a damaging dispute can be avoided.

“The government must start talks to put pay right, solve the workforce crisis and tackle the ever-growing backlog.”

Fiona Myint, vice-president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, urged Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to commit to a workforce plan to tackle staff vacancies.