Urgent situation in Britain healthcare & solutions Frank Li, March 2, 2026 https://blog.creaders.net/user_blog_diary.php?did=NTQyMzU1 Britain and Canada established humanized communist universal healthcare system; but now desfunctiond; people died without treatment available. This topic discuses that how did systemic evil of Western civilization failed the best universal healthcare system by crazy academics and governance. Communist universal healthcare is the only way for human beings should be established for ejoying human dignity; we must strive to run it humanly. Contents 1...This is specially preapred for Sir Vince Cable 2...Capitalist UK made a communist healthcare 3...Communist healthcare became nightmare 4...Trusted scholars make medical nifgtmare 5...The multi-ingredients are most effective 6...TCM philosophy is able to end nightmare 7...Western medine 7.1...Anttibiotics & vaccines are massive killing 7.2...Why do Anttibiotics & Vaccines free kill 7.3...Mad Persecution of Vaccine Skeptics 8...Traditional Chinese Medicine - TCM 8.1...Recovery came from restore not kill 8.2...Studies prove correct of psychotherapy 8.3...Modern studies on TCM medicinals 8.4...Restoration effects of Vinegar & melatonin 9...The use of effective remedies is impposible 10...Polotical correctness is in killing Britons 11...Awaked for accountability but wrong way 12...We need the help of Sir Vince Cable 13...Related reprots regarding healthcare 1...This is specially preapred for Sir Vince Cable Specially preapred for Sir Vince Cable; a rare rational scholer-politician in Britain; who has quality to refom the governance and healthcare of Britain by my suggestions and setting a model for others to follow and thereby rescuing democracy ruined Britain and the world.
2...Capitalist UK made a communist healthcare Britain Industrial Revolution gave birth to both capitalism and communism. As a founder capitalist leader, Britain actually nationalized to establish the communist style welfare system from cradle to grave; with a communist style universal healthcare system, Canada followed suit. Now, due to no treatment available, both have people died from the long treatment wait. When Britain and Canada communist run their healthcare; othe countries take healthcares legally greedy used; and health insurance companies colluding with hospitals plunder increasingly families bankrupt from ill. For greedy; sacred academic community was purposefully making false studies to make false reports to support the drug makers plunder. 3...Communist healthcare became nightmare
Jan 15, 2026, I once wrote article Rescue Canada's healthcare by doctor as lawmakers, indicate that I am moved by Jan 10, 2026 article Alberta doctors say leadership lacking amid crisis of overcrowding in hospitals by interviewing Dr. Warren Thirsk, an emergency room doctor in Alberta, Canada. Dr. Warren Thirsk said that "sometimes sees more than 100 people in the waiting room with 30 chairs, while others spill out into hallways or the ambulance bay. ”People who can stand, stand. Some are on the ground and we’re hoping they’re alive. And you walk by this carnage, and then you start your day.” Doctors who save lives; but at the first must also endure psychological torment that damages own health. The sight of hell brought tears to my eyes.
Please look at the same urgent situation in Britain universal healthcare system.
Apr 01 2024, Long wait lead to more than 250 needless deaths a week. Sep 14 2023, Record 7.68m people wait hospital treatment in England. Jan 26 2026, The hospitals where waiting times are getting worse. The facts were clear, the universal healthcare system of Britain also dysfunctioned in killing own countrymen.
4...Trusted scholars make medical nifgtmare It was a typical manmade disasters of it's trusted Western medicine; it has been dehumanizing trustful scholars as antihuman beasts, then they by so called scientific radom double blind clinic trial tested in single ingredient to kicked away the most effective remedies in multi-ingredients to profit expensive ineffective drugs and vaccines with killing side effects. See my article It is the trusted scholars in purposely kill people, you will anger by western medicine duhumanzied people blatantly make cheating studies; then by the name of scientific to kick away the profitless effective remedies. It is difficult to change such situation; only way out is to make people self help in disease treatment; thereby reducing the reliant on public healthcare.
Luckily; while nature creates diseases for humans, it also prepared way to deal with. TCM philosophy is able to help us find and properly utilize them. The long use proved that TCM identify-used medicnals are effective and safe.
5...The multi-ingredients are most effective 1999, Phytomedicine Research in Germany reports that in 1980s, German 300 studies show that herbs had full therapeutic equivalence with chemotherapeutics and were devoid of any adverse effects. The mechanism of action differs from that of synthetic drugs or mono substances; can be characterized as a polyvalent action or as additive or potentiating. The herbs are all in multi-ingredients, in hundreds of compostions of dozens of physiologically active ingredients.
Many modern studies have proved that the multi-combined medicinals can produce synergistic effects to enhance the cure effect and reduce the side effect; the more combined the stronger cure effects the lower side effects. Such as, if it used individually, lithium, trametinib and rapamycin can extend 11% life span of fruit flies, two combined makes 30%, and three combined can make 48%. The 13 TCM medicinals made Lianhua Qingwen Capsule in 160 active ingredients care COVID-19 by 57 target proteins, 35 signaling pathways in cure rate over 90%. Any disease is syndrome in multi-lesions developing; therefore, it is impossible to develop symptomatic drugs in Western medicine by making clear the cause of each symptom. It is necessary to follow the compound prescription of TCM; the multi medicinals will heal multiple lesions as that of the projectiles of a shotgun can hit multiple targets in a blind shot. 6...TCM philosophy is able to end nightmare
Philosophy conducts the way of people’s thinking; and thereby determining the outcomes of behaving. The philosophy itself has no standard for wrong or right, only the wrongfully adopted philosophy makes bad results; and the rightfully adopted philosophy makes good results. Philosophy Reductionism is referring to subdividing complex systems into simple units to understand and then reflect the complex whole. Such absolute precision, when applied to the complex human life, is precisely posed a danger. Philosophy Daoism was born around 550BC China, it regards that the universe composed of the unity of opposites with their own independent characteristics in self-dynamic equilibrium, by Yin-Yang represent two opposites, and human body is the component of universe. The universe is vast complex; but within the visible range of our life time; the positions of galaxies remain unchanged, but our body is aging rapidly in a limited life span due to its extremely complex in the composition. American chemist Linus Pauling once said that: "If I were an atom, the length of a protein could reach the moon." The proteins form our cells and cells form blood; blood vessels; nervous system; immune systems, tissues; organs, glands secrete hormones regulating physiological activities; etc., while uncontrollable psychological factors influence disease development, which made body a chaotic system that must deal with Chaos Theory. Precision-seeking philosophy Reductionism is not conform to chaos theory. Macro holistic dialectical view of Daoism is conforming to the chaos theory. 7.... Western medicine takes Reductionism as guidance regarding body as lifeless assembly of inanimate parts, by subdividing body as micro as protein, genes, RNAs, etc., to understand the development of diseases by scientifically looking for killing and genetic patching as treatment; no sense of psychotherapy. The mare and more incurable diseases and increasingly unaffordable medication show that western medicine acted as bad than good. Since 1955, the double blind clinic trial has been batching killers 1955 found placebo effect in 50-60% of cure rate; and found that synthetic drugs were ineffective than that of placebo did with killing side effects; then double blind clinic trial used to prove drug effective than that of placebo did; and batch kids as killers by tests in single ingredient kicks away the effective ones in multi-ingredients. Due to the compositions of medicinal of TCM are too complex to meet double blind clinic trial and to be yelled as unscientific and unproven. Then yelling unscientific or unproven developed as the popular culture that anyone can yell at will, by childish play; they scare people who dare not self help by cheaper handy remedies; and make people a nightmare in healthcare. 7.1...Anttibiotics & vaccines are massive killing WHO identified antimicrobial resistance as century’s top global health threats; made one million people to die each year from 1990 to 2021, and predicted that 39 million people will die from 2025 to 2050. This also leads to a large number of patients. In 2017, article Read this and you may never eat chicken again indicates that, most meat animals, across most of the planet, are raised with the assistance of doses of antibiotics on most days of their lives. The use of antibiotics caused resistant bacteria are a grave threat and getting worse. They are responsible for at least 700,000 deaths around the world each year: 23,000 in the United States, 25,000 in Europe, more than 63,000 babies in India. Beyond those deaths, bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics cause millions of illnesses – 2m annually just in the United States – and cost billions in healthcare spending, lost wages and lost national productivity. In 2022, FDA disclosed that Pfizer's mRNA vaccine caused as many as 1,291 fatal side effects, with a mortality rate 2.9%, which is 71 times higher than that of the 0.041% mortality rate in Quebec Canada. This also leads to a large number of patients. We must follow the philosophy of TCM to dump the antibiotics and vaccines to cure patients by body needed nutrients repairing ill and aging lesions to restore Yin-Yang balance - Restore physical health actually. 7.2...Why do Anttibiotics & Vaccines free kill May 29, 2023, Boston University publishes article Missing Americans: Early death in the United States-1933-2021 considered that 1.1 million Americans died in 2021 are missing; because, if the death rate were on par with equally developed countries, these people would still be alive. The number of missing Americans in recent years is unprecedented in history. We waste hundreds of billions of dollars every year on health insurance company profits and paperwork, while tens of millions of people cannot afford medical care, healthy food, or decent housing. Americans have shorter life expectancies than people in other countries because politicians always side with corporations when corporate profits conflict with health. A report on Sept 23, 2025, stated that mandatory injection of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines had resulted in the deaths of 10 children. Therefore, FDA officials questioned the claim, made over 30 years ago, that infant vaccination against hepatitis B eradicated the deadly disease, yet no evidence of its safety and effectiveness has been available to date. 7.3...Crazy Persecution of Vaccine Skeptics Dec 23, 2020; a Mandarin article COVID-19 Mutates, Vaccines Damage Human Immunity, Experts Question, 100,000 Doctors Protest": Jean-Bernard Fourtillan, a retired French professor, was forcibly taken from his home by police and confined to a mental hospital for questioning the COVID-19 vaccine. The professor had opposed vaccinating children for years, claiming vaccines could cause autism and other neurological damage. In 2021, Professor Harald Walach, a German advocate of alternative medicine, analyzed data from the Dutch Vaccine Adverse Reaction Registry and found 16 serious side effects per 100,000 vaccinations, of which 4.11–10 were fatal. He published an article in the journal *Vaccines* stating that for every 3 deaths prevented by the COVID-19 vaccine, 2 would actually die. The article immediately drew strong protests. Six international virologists and vaccinologists, including the founding editor of *Vaccines*, resigned from the journal's editorial board. Harald Walach was also dismissed from the Poznan Medical University in Poland. There is strong opposition in the medical community regarding the safety of vaccines and whether people need to be vaccinated, but very few of these opinions are reported in the media. As a result, articles on the necessity of vaccines are everywhere, completely drowning out reports on their safety. Because of a link to an article about vaccines, my Facebook account was banned for a month, my blog posts questioning vaccines were deleted by web administrators, and I was barred from commenting on many media outlets. 8...Traditional Chinese Medicine - TCM It develops by taking the Terminology and Principle of Daoism, in regarding patients as emotional human and by compound medications restore Yin-Yang balance as treatment; which is by body needed nutrients repairs ill and aging lesions to restore health and believed the treatment is seven-tenths in psychotherapy three-tenths in medication.
8...Recovery came from restore not kill 2019, article Disinfect the Natural Way indicates that human immunity is by immune cells releasing Hypochlorous acid - HOCl kills viruses; so that since the birth of mammals, it is the HOCl in functioning immunity. 2020, Melbourne reports that a COVID-19 sufferer self-recovered after the increase of the immune cells in blood, the increase of immune cells kept for 7 days in the high level, this is no different from the common cold. Above cured case showed that the cure effect is not from drug killing or genetic patching, but from the physical restoration; which is perfectly matching the restoring Yin-Yang balance that is boosting immunity to increase immune cells. We may say that whether it's administering medication or oxygen to patients, the goal is to delay death and wait for the increase of immune cells. But some people are too weak to increase immune cells and medication can help. 8.2...Studies prove correct of psychotherapy Studies show the correctness of psychotherapy of TCM. In 2008, the study that was crossing four disciplines of psychology, medicine, neuroscience, and genetics, has revealed the fact that Stress Causes Everything from gums to heart and make susceptible to everything from common cold to cancer. Cortisol has been considered one of the main culprits in the stress-illness connection, although it plays a necessary role in helping us cope with threats. When an animal perceives danger, a system kicks into gear: A chain reaction of signals releases various hormones — most notably epinephrine (“adrenaline”), norepinephrine, and cortisol — from the adrenal glands above each kidney.
These hormones boost heart rate, increase respiration, and increase the availability of glucose (cellular fuel) in the blood, thereby enabling the famous “fight or flight” reaction. Because these responses take a lot of energy, cortisol simultaneously tells other costly physical processes — including digestion, reproduction, physical growth, and some aspects of the immune system — to shut or slow down. When occasions to fight or flee are infrequent and threats pass quickly, the body’s stress thermostat adjusts accordingly: Cortisol levels return to baseline (it takes 40-60 minutes), the intestines resume digesting food, the sex organs kick back into gear, and the immune system resumes fighting infections. But problems occur when stresses don’t let up —or when, for various reasons, the brain continually perceives stress even if it isn’t really there. Stress begins with the perception of danger by the brain, and it appears that continued stress can actually bias the brain to perceive more danger by altering brain structures such as those which govern the perception of and response to threat. Prolonged exposure to cortisol inhibits the growth of new neurons, and can cause increased growth of the amygdala, the portion of the brain that controls fear and other emotional responses. 8.3...Modern sudies on TCM medicinals
In past thousands of years, TCM has identify-medicinal used about 11,146 plants, 1581 animals and 80 minerals and accumulated about 100 thousands of experience-based formulas covering almost all diseases.
See my article Chinese Medicine - A Promising Therapeutic Approach.
Modern studies found some of those natural medicines have therapeutic effects similar to synthetic ones in killing the pathogens directly, and some of them have nutritional effects similar to orthomolecular medicine. Some can boost human immunity, such as, boosting the weight gains of immune organs, increasing the number and activity of the immune cells, such as, phagocytes, NK cells and so on. Some can improve sleep, some can reduce anxiety, and some can improve appetite, etc. Some can intelligently two-way regulate physiological indicators to normal, such as blood sugar and blood pressure. Some can regulate sleep by modulating the central nervous system. Some can both stop bleeding, while promoting circulation. Though TCM prepared much safer effective remedies available; but acceptable concern; I suggest often used vinegar and melatonin. 8.4...Restoration effects of Vinegar & melatonin Vinegar: The LD50 is165g/50kg, studies proved that vinegar can kill Covid-19 and all kind of viruses, because the electronegativity of its two oxygen atoms can destroy covalent bonded viruses indiscriminately and simultaneously, it can activate the physiological activity of body, producing broad-spectrum therapeutic effects. Vinegar, any dosage can increase immune cells, regulate physiological indicators to normal, , lower high blood pressure, cures cancer, cures diabetes mellitus, increases oxygen in blood stream, improve sleep & digestion, cure chronic kidney diseases, reduce hypertension, anti-Inflammation, promote insulin-producing cells; increase bone density, and much more, with positive effect on all of studied diseases. Vinegar can restore physiological indicators deteriorating due to aging and disease, such as nerve and immune cells, blood sugar, blood lipids, blood pressure, and insulin, promoting health. Melatonin: The LD50 is 56.6 g/50 kg, as hormone secreted by human body; with age, its decreased secretion is the cause of aging; due to that melatonin promote the regeneration of cells of nerve and immune to restore aging nerve system and aging immune system; repair sciatic nerve injury, revive the stem cells of kidney failure, repair diabetic nerve damage, treat degenerative diseases, cure Alzheimer's disease, promote wound healing, restore learning and memory; prevent and treat cancer; regulate physiological activities; with therapeutic effect on all diseases studied, the lack of melatonin will lead to illness. We must integrate use of TCM philosophy; to view patients as emotional living human; and by body needed functional nutrients harmoniously repair the lesions or damages from illness and aging. As my experience, that by 6 times water dilute 5% vinegar x 18 ml (0.9g pure)/50kg + melatonin x 5 – 10mg in daily once will be the magic cure for all; and then will easily cure Bruce Willis in months, and then Emma Heming Willis will get a brand new husband in younger 30 years. Because that diet vinegar can restore abnormal physiological indicators to normal; and melatonin can regenerate the nerve cells, immune cells & Kidney failure stem cells; etc., restore systems. As we age, reducing secretion in melatonin leads to produce aging-related diseases. More importantly, both vinegar and melatonin can increase gut probiotics to effectively process food into the basic building blocks of body, such as, 95% of brain neurons & neurotransmitters. There was report that transplanting gut flora from healthy mice cured ill mice. Please Google, a lot studies proved that melatonin is a magic medication in playing decisive role for saving human life by interaction with gut microbiota.
May 09, 2022, Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis Induced by Decreasing Endogenous Melatonin Mediates the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease and Obesity. Jun 30 2022, Gut microbiota mediate melatonin signalling in association with type 2 diabetes. Nov 09 2022, Intestinal microbiota and melatonin in the treatment of secondary injury and complications after spinal cord injury. Vinegar and melatonin can cure and prevent diseases by optimizing nutrition supply. Under TCM philosophy, no evil mind of incurable; no Alzheimer's; no diabetes, no psychosis; no Parkinson's, etc., they are curable, even will not occur at all.
The use of effective remedies is impossible
Since 2020, I have sent hundreds of emails, phone calls and even bought a fax machine to fax to Gov-officials, WHO, hospitals, medical experts to suggest ending pandemic Covid-19 by vinegar, HOCl and TCM medicinals, but all were failed. Even my university classmates and my sister did not believe my repeatedly persuasions. It was not the Covid-19 virus, but it was western medicine dehumanizes people killing people, destroyed economy to have completely ruined life of people. For avoiding such mamade disasters, we must make humanized peopel in power; the by the power to reverse the evil behavior in hijacking by greed. Feb 27 2026 , I wrote article UK PM Keir Starmer returned path of David; in which I indicate that in Britain, the rational politician Sir Vince Cable is able to reform the governance of Britain by learning the Technocratic Democracy of China by outstanding elites part time self reliance working as lawmaker, but in Britain for unrest concern, it must keep current politicla body as normal as it is; then based on which form a civil legislature taking 30% of vote right to parallel run with Gov-one to fix the flaw of the magic political design legally set opposition to dysfunction of legislature. 10...Political correctness is in killing Britons Nov. 2013, I once wrote The feasible steps for improving Canada's health care system radically to indicate that in Canada, for many years; the long treatment waits has been nightmare; people died from no treatment available. The cause is not fully due to the lack of investment, but mainly due to the poor governance. A multiparty opposed democratic politics is purposely designed for dysfunction of government; in such an born in hemiplegia political system, humanized politicians can never do a humanized business. Also, ever since French hanged their king, the world runs under political correctness witch hunt of French advocated democracy, values and human rights; and politicians must do being coerced. Political correctness coerced established human rights organizations all over the world to force people feeding the beasts to ruin human life, such as, they regard that striking for more by dong less in unearned is social justice; otherwise is slave labor against human rights; by such antihuman way killed labor productivity. There were many shocking reports on stuff neglecting their duties Fear of being sued for violating human rights has led to a lack of accountability mechanisms and a lack of employee responsibility. In the universal healthcare system of Britain, many tuff, pretected driven by bestial ideology human rights, unrestrained neglect their duties. The poor work ethic of British medical staff caused health care service among worst in the developed countries in West. Even there were up to 1200 needless deaths patients abused staff bullied to meet targets, but hospital says no one's to blame: The artcle indicates that "patients were left unwashed in their own filth for up to a month as nurses ignored their requests to use the toilet or change their sheets; four members of one family, including a new-born baby girl died within 18 months after of blunders at the hospital…" Awaked for accountability but wrong way
Jan 26 2026, article The hospitals where waiting times are getting worse. Is yours one of them indicates that "individual hospitals would be held to account for their performance." The idea account for their performance is perfect right, but it should not on hospitals, but on individual stuff of the hospitals. Only ensures every stuff work at best performance, then the performance of hospital can be surely in best; otherwise the idea of accountability is a stupid play of no human brain. The bad performance of hospitals is exactly because of that the leadership of hospitals dared not take accountability on their bad working stuff. Only government legislated law to enforce accountability, then the leadership of the hospitals dared take accountability on the bad performing stuff. The leadership dared not take strict accountability on their stull is the common sense of people globally; due to that humans shared similar personality. This is the reason that take accountability on hospitals is stupid no human brain. Britons need the help of Sir Vince Cable British politician sir Vince Cable who once worked as Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Member of Parliament; the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and President of the Board of Trade. I learn Vince cable from Jan 16, 2022 YouTube video Dancing With The Dragon - China: Friend or Foe? | Full Head to Head | Oxford Union, the speech of Dr. Vince Cable showed his rational and pragmatic in viewing China. Dec 6 2022, Sir Vince Cable once published book How to be a Politician: 2,000 Years of Good (and Bad), in which he described democratic politics was a cesspool of social sewage, and the democratic politicians ugly frolic in it. Later, I searched for his speeches and articles to post on my Blog, which further convinced me that he was a person capable for changing the world. Sir Vince cable may take Cambridge university as a headquarters to form a civil legislature, by professors in part time self reliance as legislators; and then enlarge the number towards the elites of whole Britain. Then the civil legislature takes 30% vote right to parallel run with the Gov-one to patch the flaw of the melicious oppositon of the multiparty of democracy. Thus without touching political body, no causing of riots; by people respected elites in part time self reliance work as lawmakers, the formation of the civil legislature will be no one dare oppose; this is the only way that will be widely accepted. In such a roundabout acceptable way, Sir Vince cable will set a convincing model for global people to flolow. Now people around the world are desperately searching for a way survival, but there is no path without bloodshed in political reform. They will certainly actively emulate Britain's civil legislature of public participation in lawmakinmg. In this way, the world will follow the human way of China. Thus by the civilization of China making people live as human should be. Below are some reporting on urgent situation of Britain Healthcare. How long is the the waiting list for hospital treatment? https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7281/CBP-7281.pdf Feb 3, 2026 Before 2020, the NHS in England experienced increasing demand and declining performance on its main waiting time measures. Many of these pressures have increased following the covid-19 pandemic. How long is the the waiting list for hospital treatment?
The waiting list for hospital treatment rose to a record of 7.7 million in September 2023, but has since fallen to around 7.3 million in November 2025. The 18-week treatment target has not been met since 2016. Source: NHS England, Consultant-Led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times How long are waiting times in A&E?
The proportion of patients spending more than 4 hours in hospital A&E grew substantially between 2015 and 2020. A new record high of 50.4% was reached in December 2022. In December 2025, 40.4% of patients waited over 4 hours in hospital A&E. The number of patients waiting over 12 hours for admission after a decision to admit has increased substantially since the middle of 2021. 
Source: NHS England, Accident and Emergency Attendances and Emergency Admissions How long are waiting times for cancer treatment?
The 62-day waiting time standard for cancer has not been met in recent years. Targets have recently changed – see section 3 of the full PDF brie?ng for details. Previously, the standard measured only waits after GP referral, but now other routes are included, covering around 43% more patients. The 85% target remains the same. In November 2025, on the new standard, 70.2% of patients were treated within 62 days of referral. Source: NHS England, Cancer Waiting Times How have NHS staff numbers changed over time?
NHS staff numbers have increased, with doctor numbers up 24% and nurses up 25% over the five years to June 2025. The NHS vacancy rate was 6.7% in September 2025, down from 7.4% in September 2024. These workforce figures do not adjust for changes in demand or activity. Source: NHS Digital, NHS Workforce Statistics How long are waiting times for ambulances? 
Ambulance response times have risen, with the average response to a Category 2 call (for e.g. suspected heart attacks and strokes) at over 1 hour 30 minutes in December 2022 compared with a target of 18 minutes. Performance has subsequently improved but remains outside the target. Source: NHS England, Ambulance Quality Indicators The full PDF briefing paper examines trends in the following areas:Accident & Emergency attendance and performance Ambulance demand and response times Waiting times and waiting lists for routine treatment Waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment Diagnostic waiting times and activity GP appointments Workforce numbers for doctors, nurses and other staff Bed availability and occupancy
For information on NHS funding and mental health services, please see our separate briefings: Health is a devolved policy area and these statistics relate to the NHS in England only. Links to statistics for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can be found below.
Related LinksThe hospitals where waiting times are getting worse https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgjk89n2nyo By Nick Triggle, Health correspondentandent Jan 26 2026 Daniel Wainwright, BBC VerifyNearly a quarter of hospitals in England have seen waiting times worsen since the government published its plan to tackle the backlog a year ago, BBC analysis shows. Hitting the 18-week waiting target for treatments such as knee and hip operations was Labour's key manifesto pledge for the health service, and last January it set out how it would get hospitals on track. While nationally progress is being made, 31 hospital trusts have gone backwards and another 17 have made little progress out of the 129 services examined. The hospitals struggling the most said they were facing a variety of challenges, including staffing shortages, doctor strikes and problems with IT systems. 'Living in pain'Mary Waterhouse, 72, from Blackpool, is one of many patients who has faced delays at a hospital where waits are getting worse. She has arthritis and has been receiving treatment from Blackpool Hospitals NHS Trust since 2022. She was initially given steroid injections, but was referred back on to the waiting list in late 2024 as her condition worsened. She had to wait eight months to get assessed, but by that point her health had deteriorated so much she was told she would need hip and knee replacements on both sides.  Mary Waterhouse had to wait eight months for an assessment after her arthritis deteriorated
She opted against treatment. "My arthritis was too advanced – and it was too many operations. I have decided to live with the pain. I had long waits at every stage since first being referred. It's like being in a never-ending queue. "I now rely on a mobility scooter to get about – I can only walk short distances with crutches. If I had received quicker treatment, things may have been better." Deborah Alsina, of Arthritis UK, said Mary's case was typical of the problems being faced by many thousands of people with arthritis. She said timely treatment can be "life-changing", but there was not equitable access to care. Blackpool said it could not comment on Mary's case, but chief executive Maggie Oldham acknowledged waits were too long. "We know we're not where we need to be, but we're continuing to work hard alongside our partners to address the issues we're facing urgently." The government has made improving waiting times its key priority for the NHS and has pledged to get back to hitting the 18-week waiting time target in England by March 2029. It has not been met since 2015. The target requires 92% of patients to be seen in 18 weeks. An interim national target of 65% has been set for March 2026. When the government published its plan last January, 59.2% of patients were waiting less than 18 weeks; that has now improved to 61.8%. The size of the waiting list has also fallen to 7.31 million – the lowest level since February 2023. But locally there are big differences in performance, despite dedicated funding having been set aside to help NHS trusts - which have been given their own individual targets for improvement. The BBC was able to compare current performance with the position 12 months ago at all but two hospital trusts – data was not available for Sheffield and Barking, Havering and Redbridge hospital trusts. While published in January, the data lags by a couple of months so marks the position at the end of November in both 2024 and 2025. 
East Cheshire has had the biggest drop, going from 61.2% of patients waiting less than 18 weeks to 51.2%. Barnsley saw a drop of nine percentage points, while both Whittington Health and Epsom and St Helier NHS trusts experienced falls of around five percentage points. NHS trusts said a variety of factors were at play. Epsom and St Helier cited the introduction of a new electronic patient record system which disrupted services, while Barnsley said staff shortages and an increase in cancer referrals which had to be prioritised ahead of planned treatments had caused problems. Strike action by resident doctors was also blamed – the number of doctors walking out during industrial action has varied from place to place. Barnsley and Epsom and St Helier both said they expected performance to start improving. Of the 98 that had seen progress in the past year, 17 had only improved by less than one percentage point. But some had seen big jumps. Five NHS trusts recorded improvements of between nine and 10 percentage points and Shrewsbury and Telford, which was one of the worst performers a year ago, by 17. 'Stark differences'The 18-week pledge only applies to England, but targets for hospital treatments are being routinely missed in other parts of the UK. Rory Deighton, of the NHS Confederation, which represents NHS trusts, said: "The NHS is not one homogenous body but is made up of hundreds of separate organisations, each with their own distinct financial and operational challenges. "This means that tackling care backlogs will be more difficult in some parts of the country than others – particularly if there are entrenched challenges, such as high levels of local deprivation." Chris McCann, deputy chief executive at patient watchdog Healthwatch England, said the analysis showed there were "stark differences" for patients depending on where they live. "Those responsible for monitoring NHS trusts must pay close attention to organisations that are not only performing poorly but actually deteriorating," he added. A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said the government had got the NHS on the "road to recovery" but there was still more to do. She said investment was being made in services such as new surgical hubs and evening and weekend scanning, which would help. And she said individual hospitals would be held to account for their performance. |
