UK: Numbers show huge spike in patient deaths while on NHS waitlist

Healthwatch England, a patient advocacy group which scrutinises performance of NHS, described the deaths as "a national tragedy".

Figures obtained by UK's Labour Party have revealed than more than 120,000 people in England died last year while being on National Health Service's waiting list for hospital treatment, reported The Guardian. The number of deaths is twice the number in year 2017/2018 (60,000).

The Royal Free hospital in London reportedly said that it had had 3615 such deaths. In Morecambe Bay trust in Cumbria, the number was 2888.

The Leeds teaching hospital saw 2039 such deaths.

A "decade of underinvestment" is being underlined for large number of deaths of patients who had to endure long waits for medical treatment.

Healthwatch England, a patient advocacy group which scrutinises performance of NHS, described the deaths as "a national tragedy".

“We know that delays to care have significant impacts on people’s lives, putting many in danger,” said Louise Ansari, the chief executive of Healthwatch England as quoted by The Guardian.

Watch | Ben Wallace confirms resignation as UK defence minister in letter to PM Sunak

Dr Emma Runswick, deputy chair of council of the British Medical Association, told Guardian that the deaths were a “terrible indictment of this government’s mismanagement of our health services”.

As it arrived at its number, the Labour asked 138 health trusts about deaths of patients during 2022 when they were on the NHS waiting list. Thirty five of the trusts responded. This yielded that 30,611 such deaths had occurred.

The Labour then extrapolated the number to get an estimate of the figure across England as a whole. 120,695 patients had died as they awaited medical care.

“Record numbers of people are spending their final months in pain and agony, waiting for treatment that never arrives,” said Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary. “The basic promise of the NHS – that it will be there for us when we need it – has been broken.”

The NHS however, has criticised the findings of Labour saying that they were unreliable and misleading.

“This analysis, based on figures from just a quarter of hospital trusts, does not demonstrate a link between waits for elective treatment and deaths, and it would be misleading to suggest it does, given the data does not include the cause of death or any further details on the person’s age and medical conditions,” an NHS spokesperson said as quoted by The Guardian.

Also Read | UK: Grant Shapps appointed new defence secretary after Ben Wallace resigns

The report however, said that groups that represented doctors did not raise concerns about accuracy of the figures. They reportedly said that the deaths were closely linked to intense pressure hospitals in the UK were under and was also reflective of widespread lack of staff.

However, groups representing doctors did not raise any concerns about the accuracy of the figures. They said the deaths were closely linked to the intense pressure hospitals were under and the widespread lack of staff that was hampering the NHS’s efforts to provide timely care and cut the waiting list, which has now risen to 7.6 million people – by far the largest number on record.

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

UN renews Lebanon peacekeeping mission for another year

Top 10 world news: Johannesburg fire kills 73, Indian parliament calls special session, and more

Why women reporters aren't 'topless', asks French justice minister, faces criticism