'No room for complacency' as heart care waiting list falls in England

Latest NHS England figures show that the number of people on cardiac waiting lists fell to 406,695 at the end of October 2023 in England – a decrease of 2,846 on the previous month.
A busy hospital. A black female doctor in a white coat talks to a male white nurse in blue scrubs at the entrance of a white hospital inside. Lots of people are rushing around them and they are blurred to signifiy movement.

This is the first decrease in the heart care waiting list since November 2022.

However, the heart care waiting list is still 74% larger than in February 2020. This is an increase of 174,000 people – enough to fill Wembley stadium nearly twice over.

There was also a decrease in the number of people waiting over four months (the maximum intended waiting time target) for potentially lifesaving heart care at the end of October – 159,312 compared with 163,919 at the end of September.

However, well over a third (39%) of all people on waiting lists for cardiac care are waiting over 18 weeks for care.

Today's figures also show:

• The longer people wait for treatment, the higher their risk of becoming disabled from heart failure or dying prematurely.

• The number of people waiting over a year for time-critical heart tests and treatments fell to 12,778 from 13,223 in September. Just 28 people were waiting this long in February 2020.

• Average ambulance response times for category 2 calls - which includes suspected heart attacks and strokes were 39 minutes in November in England, down from 42 minutes in October, latest NHS figures show.

• The official target for responding to category 2 calls is 18 minutes, but NHS England and Government have set a new average target of 30 minutes over 2023/24. This target has been met in just one month since April 2023.

'No room for complacency'

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, our Associate Medical Director and Consultant Cardiologist, said: “It is a relief that October did not see yet another rise in the number of people waiting for time-sensitive heart care, and this is no doubt a reflection of the huge efforts of everyone within the NHS.

"However, we can't become complacent and there is still a long way to go.

"Too many people are still waiting far too long for ambulances and routine heart care, and these figures don't include the impact of NHS winter pressures.

"Significant delays to heart care risk preventable heart failure or even premature death, which is why heart patients urgently need to hear that their time-critical care is a priority for politicians of all parties.”

READ ABOUT OUR HEARTS NEED MORE CAMPAIGN