Surgeons respond to IFS report on waiting list recovery

Responding to the findings of a new pre-election Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) report, ‘The past and future of NHS waiting lists in England’, Mr Tim Mitchell, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said:

“The longer patients wait on NHS lists, the greater the risk that their condition will worsen and they will need more complex surgery. The IFS’ prediction that it is “unlikely waiting lists will reach pre-pandemic levels” by December 2027, even under a “best-case scenario”, is deeply concerning. It is a sorry state for the patients behind the numbers; anxious for a diagnosis and treatment, in avoidable pain, and with their lives put on hold. It couldn’t be clearer now that we need the Government to make a substantial investment in NHS technology and capital projects in the Spring Budget next week, to have any hope of making a meaningful dent in the waiting lists.”

Notes to editors

1. RCS England provides world-class education, assessment, and development to 30,000 surgeons, dental professionals, and members of the wider surgical and dental care teams, at all stages of their careers. Our vision is to see excellent surgical care for everyone. We do this by setting professional standards, facilitating research, and championing the best outcomes for patients.
2. For more information, please contact the Press Office: Telephone: 020 7869 6053/6054/6047; Email: pressoffice@rcseng.ac.uk; Out-of-hours media enquiries: 0207 869 6056.