NHS hospital waiting lists reach five-year high of 2.9m people

The number of patients waiting for hospital treatment is at a five-year high, with almost 2.9 million people on the list, according to a report in The Guardian. Figures for June show the waiting list for operations and other admissions in England has grown by nearly a quarter of a million since the same time last year. The statistics, released on Thursday by NHS England, come amid concern that patients are waiting too long for medical attention in A&E units. Ministers have blamed pressure on A&E services on a million more people needing emergency care, forcing David Cameron to give