NHS waiting lists grow as Government is mired in shambles - The Yorkshire Post says

Almost 300,000 people were unable to see a cancer specialist within two weeks of an urgent referral between April and November, according to new analysis.

The research from information in the House of Commons library found there were 290,428 breaches of a maximum two-week wait target during those seven months.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Sajid Javid yesterday had to deny reports that a plan to tackle the backlog of patients on hospital waiting lists in England has been put on hold amid claims of wrangling at the top of Government.

The plan by NHS England to get down a record six million patients waiting for non-urgent operations and procedures had reportedly been expected on Monday, however the Daily Telegraph reported that the Treasury had refused to sign off on the measures, despite detailed discussions with No 10, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the NHS.

Elsewhere, around £13m has reportedly been written off by the NHS after beds bought for Nightingale hospitals couldn’t be used in mainstream facilities. Where was the foresight in such decision making?

Even if not directly related, the various figures aforementioned are troubling. The point, though, is that people’s lives are at stake. This is one of the issues that should be at the forefront of politics right now, had ministers had not seemingly been at odds or otherwise mired in the shambolic ‘partygate’ imbroglio. They must buck their ideas up.