NHS diagnostic waiting list jumps 50%

According to the latest Department of Health data, at the end of August 5,900 patients in England had been waiting six weeks or more, an increase of 2,100 (56.7%) from July 2010, and 1,900 (46.7%) from August 2009. The data covers the waiting times for 15 key diagnostic tests carried out in the NHS, including MRI, CT scans and colonoscopies. Although this is still a small proportion of total NHS patients, it is the first significant increase since the Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley MP, announced that some NHS waiting time targets would be scrapped. It could also signify how the c...