NHS waiting list in England rises to record 7.7m

A record 7.68 million people are on a hospital waiting list in England, figures show.

The total at the end of July represents nearly one in seven people and is a jump of more than 100,000 in a month.

The rising number means the prime minister's pledge to bring down waiting lists is under threat. The government has blamed strikes for adding to the pressures facing the NHS.

It comes as ministers have announced an extra £200m for the NHS this winter.

It is on top of a £250m boost already announced earlier in the summer, which is helping pay for 5,000 extra hospital beds and 10,000 virtual beds where patients are supported at home by doctors for conditions such as respiratory and heart problems that would normally lead to a hospital admission.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said he wanted to see "high impact" interventions to help the NHS get through winter.

On the waiting list, which covers people needing routine treatments such as knee and hip operations, he said the strikes were having an impact, driving up the numbers and "harming" patients.

Close to 1 million appointments and treatments that have had to be postponed since industrial action began in the NHS in December.

But Mr Barclay pointed out progress had been made, as the long waits of over 18 months were close to being eliminated - just over 7,000 people have waited that long.

However, those waiting over 12 months are climbing.

Next week will see junior doctors and consultants in England walk out at the same time for the first time in the history of the NHS.

Consultants will take strike action on Tuesday and Wednesday, while junior doctors start their three-day walkout on Wednesday.

Emergency care will be staffed throughout.

BMA leader Prof Philip Banfield said: "If the health secretary really wants to support the NHS then his next step should be to re-open talks with doctors and come to the table with a credible offer to put an end to strikes and to demonstrate he does really care about our patients."