40% of heart care waits are longer than 18-week treatment target

THE latest NHS England figures recently published show that the number of people waiting over four months for time-critical heart care rose to a record high of 169,066 in June 2024 in England.

The latest rise means that 40 per cent of people on the cardiac care waiting list in England are waiting longer than the maximum target treatment time of 18 weeks.

The longer people wait for treatment, the higher their risk of becoming disabled from heart failure or dying prematurely.

The overall cardiac waiting list rose to a record high for the eighth consecutive month to 426,460, an increase of over 5,000 from the previous month.

The figures also show:

• The number of people waiting over a year for time-critical heart tests and treatments has dropped to 10,537 from 11,017 in May. Just 28 people were waiting this long in February 2020.
• The average ambulance response time for category 2 calls in July 2024 was over 33 minutes. This is a slight decrease on June but does not meet the amended NHS average response target for category 2 calls of 30 minutes for 2024/25.
• Before the pandemic, the response target for these calls – which includes suspected heart attacks and strokes – was 18 minutes on average but was increased due to pressure and long delays in ambulance services.

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), and Consultant Cardiologist, said:

“Long waits for time-critical heart care put people at risk of life-long heart failure or even early death. That’s why it is so alarming that we keep seeing more people on waiting lists, and now 40 per cent of people are waiting longer than they should.

“We cannot and must not become numb to this heart care crisis. Action is needed now to prevent more avoidable loss of life. Patients and their families need to see a comprehensive heart disease action plan from the Government that ensures cardiovascular care is fit for the future.”

The BHF’s Hearts Need More campaign is calling on the new Government to prioritise cardiovascular disease and put in place a heart disease action plan. More than 40,000 people have so far signed an online pledge urging the new Government to fix the cardiac crisis.