NHS backlog affecting thousands of Surrey patients

Hundreds of thousands of people in Surrey are stuck in an NHS backlog, facing long waits including for crucial operations and cancer treatments, according to local health leaders.

Despite efforts to address delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, thousands are still waiting well beyond the national target of 18 weeks.

At a recent Surrey County Council meeting, NHS managers revealed while progress is being made, more than 200,000 people are still awaiting care.

New measures like harm reviews, waiting list checks, and the opening of Ashford Elective Centre are being implemented, but staff shortages and IT issues continue to affect waiting times.

The results were given at the council's Adults and Health Select Committee meeting on 11 July, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Frimley Integrated Care Board, including Frimley Park and Wexham Park hospitals still has about 89,000 people waiting for treatment – and more than 4,000 of those have been waiting over a year.

Although a slight improvement from previous years, only 55% of patients are being treated within the NHS national target.

Meanwhile, Surrey Heartlands ICB, which covers hospitals like Ashford & St Peter's, Royal Surrey and Epsom, is further ahead.

Its waiting list peaked in 2023 but has since come down significantly. About 143,000 people are waiting for non-urgent but important elective care operations.

NHS managers said the total waiting list across Surrey Heartlands' three hospitals has decreased from a peak of approximately 162,000 in September 2023, to about 143,000 by March 2025.

Nearly 61,500 patients are waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment, while over 2,000 people have been on waiting lists for over a year.

These figures far exceed pre-pandemic levels, where waits beyond a year were rare.

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