NHS waiting times rise under Labour

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Average waiting times for inpatients were 41 days in 1997 but by last year reached 49 days, according to NHS figures. Spending has more than doubled to £90 billion in the same time period.

The figures measure the time from date of diagnosis to date of admission.

Opposition politicians said the statistics showed targets were undermining patient care.

Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "This shows how the bigger picture gets neglected in order to meet the Government's top-down targets.

"Patients get a worse deal overall. Labour has to accept that their obsession with bureaucracy and running the NHS around a few targets does not have the best outcome for patients. In meeting one target, another patient misses out. It is simply unfair."

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said: "These figures massively undermine Labour's claims to have made a substantial difference to NHS waiting times.

"There is a danger if you focus solely on the longest waiting times that clinical priorities get distorted."

Since 1997, ministers have focused on eliminating the longest waits. Before then, waits of 18 months were not uncommon, but now no-one waits longer than six months.

Many of the big reductions in treatment time have been for minor operations such as cataracts, while for some cancers average waiting times have increased, the figures show.