Record low for operation waiting list
 The number of people waiting for an NHS operation in July was around 800,000, the lowest figure since 1988, according to statistics released by the Department of Health
The number of patients waiting longer than six months for an operation at the end of June was 407,000, a decrease of 42.9% compared with the same month in 2004.
A DH spokesman said the figures represent “real progress” in the challenge to bring down waiting times. “The NHS is working hard to make sure patients have the fastest possible access to treatment,” he said. “The average wait is currently eight weeks and by the end of the year, the longest anyone will wait for an operation will be six months.”
However, Liberal Democrat health spokesman, Steve Webb claimed that the figures are misleading. “Thousands of patients are stuck on hidden waiting lists hanging on for months, or even years before they get a diagnosis and get on the official list,” he said.
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