Editorial Friday 22 June 2012: Latest waiting figures show NHS performance remains strong

The NHS is doing very well indeed.

The latest referral to treatment waiting time figures released by the DH show that the progress on very long waiters continues to improve.

The the numbers on waiting list who have been waiting over 18, 26, 39  and 52 weeks are all at record lows.

Dr Rob Findlay, founder of Gooroo, has written this excellent blog for Health Service Journal, which offers real analysis from someone who is properly expert.

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This is on top of the DH's latest Annual Review, which reveals infection rates at their lowest since mandatory surveillance was introduced; lowest ever level of patients waiting more than 18 weeks for their treatment and both standards met each month; all ambulance trusts meeting their category A8 performance measure for the first time since Call Connect was introduced; performance measures on A&E, cancer care, dentistry, waiting times – all met; and all in a year where we worked smarter and more effectively, delivering £5.8 billion of QIPP savings to the system.

There have of course been various concerns about re-profiling of waiting lists and referral thresholds, as highlighted by BBC Radio 4's 'File On Four' and the GP FOI work.

This should not stop us recognising that in the midst of the significant organisational turmoil under way, this is a brilliant achievement by the staff of the NHS.

And we know that it takes bureaucrats to measure and manage the process.

Well done and thank you, Team NHS. Well done and thank you, bureaucrats.