UK health secretary Sajid Javid has warned that the NHS waiting list may rocket to 13 million in the coming months as the health service continues to grapple with the Covid third wave on top of a huge backlog of treatment.
Speaking during his first interview after taking over as England’s health secretary, Javid expressed “shock” over the already high and still spiking numbers of those waiting for non-Covid care.
Currently, some 5.3 million people are waiting for routine operations and procedures in England, which is the highest number since modern records began.
"What shocked me the most is when I was told that the waiting list is going to get a lot worse before it gets better,” Javid said during an interview with Sunday Telegraph.
Claiming that the numbers will increase by more than double soon, Javid said that the “figure of 13 million has absolutely focused” his mind and dealing with the waiting list is going to be one of his top priorities to deal with.
"Hearing that figure of 13 million, it has absolutely focused my mind, and it's going to be one of my top priorities to deal with because we can't have that."
He also said that anyone who would not wear a mask in an enclosed space after July 19 will be "just being irresponsible" despite the upcoming guidance is expected to make mask-wearing a “matter of choice”.
Hospitals across the country are already in crisis mode because of surging Covid cases and staff shortages due to workers having to self-isolate if they are ‘pinged’ by the Covid app.
It comes as NHS trusts are facing the combined hit of Covid cases rising again, the backlog for other treatments including cancer checks and heart disease,
Javid’s declaration comes as the UK saw an addition of more than 30, 000 new Covid infections on Sunday (11), fourth day in a row. He has previously warned that the new virus cases might reach 100,000 a day over the summer when the country will go ahead with the end of all restrictions on July 19.
Zia Yusuf
Sunak with Boris Johnson
Sunak with Suella Braverman