GROWING PAINS

NHS waiting lists hit 7.41MILLION but still lower than under Tories

- BY MARTIN BAGOT Health Editor

THE NHS waiting list in England has edged up for the third month in a row as progress in tackling the backlog plateaus.

In all, 7.41 million treatments were waiting to be carried out at the end of August, relating to 6.26 million patients.

This was a rise of 12,000 from 7.40 million treatments - and 6.25 million patients - at the end of July.

However, the official figures show it was down from the record highs of September 2023 under the Tories, when the waiting list was 7.77 million treatments and 6.5 million patients.