Sunak Pledge To Clear NHS Backlog 'Set For Scrapheap'

Adam Forrest, Rebecca Thomas

Rishi Sunak is unlikely to deliver on one of his five key pledges to voters as experts warned his government's chances of cutting NHS waiting lists by the general election were "vanishingly small".

The prime minister has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks as inflation spiralled despite his promise to cut it by half, while the Court of Appeal ruled against his controversial Rwanda plan that Tories say will help stop small boat Channel crossings.

Now, on the 75th anniversary of the NHS, his major pledge on the health service – to cut waiting lists – is under threat, with his own Deaprtment of Health minister admitting the numbers were going in the wrong direction.

Maria Caulfield conceded that the record number of Britons now waiting for treatment – which rose from 7.2 million to 7.4 million in April – “probably will go up higher”.

Mr Sunak’s office appeared to try to shift the target by focusing on longer-term waiting times. But two leading health think tanks told The Independent the PM was “highly unlikely” even to meet his promise to eliminate one-year waiting times by spring next year.

The Health Foundation said the chances of cutting the overall waiting lists by the vote expected in autumn 2024 were “vanishing small”, while the King’s Fund said overall waiting lists would probably “continue to rise between now and the next general election”.

Opposition parties said the PM’s crucial NHS pledge “looks set for the scrapheap” and accused ministers of “moving the goalposts” by focusing on reducing the very longest waiting times.