The damage being done to many hospital services in England by the coronavirus pandemic is revealed in new NHS figures. More than 4 million patients are now waiting for routine surgery and treatments, nearly half of whom have been waiting for longer than 18 weeks, the official maximum target. Meanwhile more than 110,000 people in England have been waiting for treatment for more than a year. Doctors and patients’ groups are warning that a second wave of the pandemic, especially during the winter months, could make things even worse. Hospital admission for Covid have doubled in the past two weeks. The health minister Nadine Dorries has warned that within 10 days hospitals in England could be at a “critical” point. Huw Edwards presents BBC News at Ten reporting by health editor Hugh Pym and health correspondent Lauren Moss.
Hospitals approach “critical point” as millions wait for routine treatment – BBC News
