BHF comment
‘No signs of slowing’ as heart care waiting list grows to record levels again in England
The number of people on cardiac waiting lists grew to 302,804 people at the end of February in England, 9,301 more than the previous month.
The data also shows:
4,236 people were waiting over a year in February 2022 – 150 times higher than before the pandemic began
110 people have been waiting over two years
29 per cent of people on waiting lists for potentially lifesaving care in England have been waiting over four months (18 weeks)
Data includes emergency, urgent, and elective, or ‘routine,’ heart surgery and other heart procedures, such as stents or balloons to open narrow or blocked arteries
Our response
Commenting on the figures, Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, our associate medical director and a consultant cardiologist said:
“Each month we see waiting lists for time-critical heart care in England reach record levels, with no signs of slowing. With even lifesaving emergency heart attack care severely disrupted and soaring levels of staff sickness, this tidal wave of pressure on the NHS is costing lives.
“Heart patients need to see action now - significant delays to cardiac care can lead to avoidable heart attacks, disabling heart failure, and even premature death.
“We urgently need to see a funded and specific plan to deal with the vast and mounting backlog of cardiovascular care. This must start to address the shortage of heart disease doctors, nurses and physiologists at once.”