NHS waiting times for elective surgery spiked last year, report finds

Patients Association says 50,000 people waited longer than 18 weeks for one of seven key procedures, with some delays longer now than in 2010

Delays faced by patients for common forms of surgery increased sharply last year, with those referred for hernia repairs or removal of cataracts, tonsils or adenoids now waiting about a month longer than in 2010, NHS statistics show.

The waiting time for seven key procedures in England now ranges from 91 days, for gallstone removal, to 107 days, for a knee replacement. In just a year, the average waiting time for cataracts removal rose by a third (24 days) compared with 2013.

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