NHS Waiting Lists.

SUBJECT: Over 47,000 patients and rising in Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust waiting to start NHS treatment

The latest stats from NHS England, published in January, reveal that 47,642 patients in the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust covering the Andover, Basingstoke and Winchester area are waiting to start treatment. Some 15,222 patients have been left waiting over 18 weeks after their referral to treatment, while 1,850 patients have been waiting over a whole year. The Health Secretary has admitted waiting lists will continue to rise for another two years.

Nationally, 6 million people are on NHS waiting lists - a number that has doubled since 2015. The Liberal Democrats slammed the Conservatives for putting in-fighting ahead of the health crisis the country faces.

Commenting Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson, Councillor Luigi Gregori said: "It beggars belief to see the government sit on their hands and fail to sort out NHS waiting times because of internal Conservative Party fighting. These stats show that the number of patients waiting is about equivalent to the population of Andover."

"They are being left to suffer because the government cannot seem to get its ducks in a row. Residents have played their part in protecting the NHS and now they deserve better. At the very least the Government should start the process to help the thousands of people left stranded on huge waiting lists in our area. Instead waiting lists will continue to go up for another two years."

The cancer treatment targets announced this week are simply re-announcements of existing policies. Cancer treatment is a matter of life and death for thousands of people yet Boris Johnson clearly has nothing new to offer. Rehashing old pledges is an insult to the millions of frightened cancer patients and their families. Luigi added, "Johnson needs to understand that not tackling the NHS waiting lists will lead to unnecessary deaths. There are lives on the line right now - and that's bigger than saving his job. We need a serious plan to increase hospital beds and fill the 100,000 staffing vacancies that are crippling our NHS."