Recent NHS figures have revealed that 125,315 people were on NHS waiting lists in Greater Manchester as recently as October. These figures also reveal that 5,150 people have waited for more than a year for an appointment, and 193 people had been waiting more than 2 years.

Rochdale MP, Tony Lloyd, said, “People in Rochdale are being forced to wait months and even years for treatment, often in pain and discomfort. In the worst cases, cancer detection and cancer treatment is now seriously delayed. All of this is unacceptable and will have appalling consequences for patients. If people in Rochdale can’t get the timely care they deserve, this will be devastating for patients and their families.

“Our doctors, nurses, and other health care staff do amazing work, trying to see as many people as they can and provide quality care. But they are stretched like never before after a decade of Tory mismanagement. Despite their hard work, Greater Manchester hospitals, and hospitals around the country, are reporting unsustainable pressure and an inability to provide high quality care.

”Under the Tories we’re paying more and getting less, despite their unfair tax rises on working people. The Tories have offered no plans to deal with the chronic shortage of GPs, doctors, nurses and social care staff, and haven’t set clear targets to reduce waiting lists and waiting times.

“The Government must give us the staff and support we need to get through this winter and to get patients seen on time.”

In March 2020, at the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, there were 4,235,970 people on the NHS waiting list in England, a then record high. Nationally, the standard of 92% of people seen within 18 weeks of a referral has not been met since 2016. Now, over 1 in 10 people in England are on the NHS waiting list.