PATIENTS were waiting an average of 15 weeks for routine treatment at Dorset County Hospital in February, figures show.

The King's Fund think tank said another national record for the number of people on hospital waiting lists shows the strain on the NHS is reaching “unacceptable levels”.

NHS England figures show the median waiting time for non-urgent elective operations or treatment at DCH NHS Foundation Trust was 15 weeks at the end of February – the same as in January.

However, this was shorter than the average 18-week wait a year previously.

There were 17,117 patients on the waiting list in February – up from 16,717 in January, and 16,156 in February 2021. Of those, 1,716 had been waiting for longer than one year.

Nationally, 6.2 million people were waiting to start treatment at the end of February. This is up from 6.1 million in January and the highest number since records began in August 2007.

But the figures also show that while the overall waiting list has continued to grow, the number of people waiting more than a year and two years have both fallen.

Danielle Jefferies, analyst at The King’s Fund, said the latest national figures show pressures are now reaching “unacceptable levels” in all parts of the health and care system.

She added: “A&E departments remain full of patients in need of urgent care, and separate data shows a similar story in general practice and social care.

“In March, 22,500 people waited over 12 hours to be admitted to hospital from A&E – a more than thirty-fold increase compared to a year ago."

Separate figures show 1.5 million patients in England were waiting for a key diagnostic test in February – the same as in January.

At DCH, 4,914 patients were waiting for one of 13 standard tests, such as an MRI scan, non-obstetric ultrasound or gastroscopy at this time.

Of them, 516 (11%) had been waiting for at least six weeks.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that there are 20,000 medically-fit patients who cannot be discharged due to pressures on social care."

Other figures from NHS England show that of 79 patients urgently referred at DCH in February, 49 received cancer treatment within two months. A month previously – when 66 patients were referred – 39 were treated within 62 days. In February 2021, 44 patients were treated within this period, out of 65 that were referred.

Chief Operating Officer at DCH Anita Thomas said: “Our teams have worked incredibly hard to maintain urgent procedures, and to run as many appointments as possible during the pandemic through telephone and video consultations. Inevitably we are now facing some long waiting times for routine surgery within a number of specialities and work is under way to address this backlog.

“We are making progress in tackling our waiting times. Our proportion of patients waiting over 62 days for cancer treatment is now one of the lowest in the country. We understand there is more work to be done and we continue to work with our system colleagues to share the workload and achieve shorter waiting times for our patients.

“We have also introduced patient initiated follow-ups which means patients are a bit more in control with their appointments. If they need to come in within the timeframe they can, if not, then they don't need to have an appointment. This then frees up slots for patients who need it.

“As nationally reported, February saw a significant rate of staff absences due to Covid sickness and isolation and the increases in Covid cases in the community meant patients had to reschedule appointments, further impacting waiting times.

“We are not only facing the backlog caused during the pandemic, but a general increase in referrals compared to pre-Covid times. This, in conjunction with the increased demand on our Emergency Department and hospital and patients awaiting care packages in the community, again impacts waiting times. We are working with system colleagues to address this and appeal to the public to use our services appropriately and for families, where possible, to help us get relatives home so we have beds available for patients who need to be urgently admitted.

“We understand the impact longer waits have on our patients and we apologise for the delay in any treatment. Our current waiting list is smaller than it was in 2019, however we are now experiencing patients with more complex and urgent clinical needs. This complicates the ability to tackle our waiting lists as those most clinically urgent will take priority.”