How long are people waiting for treatment at West Herts hospitals?

Official figures have been updated for the number of people waiting more than a year for treatment at hospitals run by West Herts Hospitals Trust. 

Across the trust, 1,131 people waited 52 weeks or more for treatment as of December 2020. Back in March 2020, before the pandemic hit, just three people had to wait more than a year for treatment.

Nationally, almost a quarter of a million (224,205) people have waited more than 12 months for routine hospital treatment. These figures are the highest since April 2008. Just 12 months ago, that figure stood at 1,613.

They include people waiting for operations such as knee and hip surgery.

A similar pattern continues to emerge for those being seen within 18 weeks. In January 2020, 87.7 per cent of people seeking treatment within West Herts Hospitals Trust were referred within the 18 week window, above England's average, which stood at 83.5 per cent.

By June, that figure had plummeted to 47.7 per cent, approximately five per cent below the national average.

Across the country, a record 4.5 million people are on a hospital waiting list. West Herts Hospitals Trust currently ranks 90th nationally, with 20,394 people awaiting treatment.