ALMOST 200 patients were waiting for routine treatment at Wirral Community Health and Care Trust in June, figures show.

The Nuffield Trust said there would not be any let up for the NHS in dealing with the backlog caused by the coronavirus pandemic and that the "broken and overstretched care system" continues to hinder staff's best efforts.

NHS England figures show 186 patients were waiting for non-urgent elective operations or treatment at Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust at the end of June – down from 211 in May, but an increase of 48 in June 2021.

Of those, six (3%) had been waiting for longer than a year.

The median waiting time from referral at an NHS Trust to treatment at Wirral Community Health and Care Trust was 12 weeks at the end of June – up from 10 weeks in May.

Jessica Morris, fellow at the Nuffield Trust health think tank, said the NHS has had success in clearing the vast majority of two-year waits, but added that this will "not provide any let up for NHS staff".

Ms Morris said: "The NHS may have overcome the first hurdle, but as new figures show the mountain to climb to clear the total waiting list keeps getting bigger.

"Staffing shortages and ongoing pressure from Covid-19, and a broken and overstretched care system, continue to slow down how quickly the NHS can work through this major backlog."

At Wirral Community Health and Care Trust, 77 patients were waiting for a type of cardiology test, called an echocardiography.

Of them, one (1%) had been waiting for at least six weeks.

Richard Murray, chief executive of The King’s Fund think tank, said: "The intense pressure on NHS and social care services has barely featured in the Conservative party leadership race, yet the new prime minister will inherit a health and care system in a state of steady crisis.

"Ensuring patients can access the care they need will require urgent and sustained action.

"If the next prime minister fails to prioritise action to shore up health and care services, they can expect the NHS and social care to slide even deeper into crisis."