NHS heart and cardiac care waits in England have hit another grim record high, according to the charity the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
A BHF analysis of NHS England figures has shown cardiac waiting lists rose to 414,596 at the end of March 2024 in England, an increase of 6,048 on the previous month. This is the highest total on record.
The heart care waiting list is 78% larger than in February 2020, before the pandemic. This is an increase of 182,000 people, enough to fill Wembley Stadium twice over, the charity has said.
There was an increase in the number of people waiting over four months for potentially lifesaving heart care at the end of March 2024, hitting the highest level on record.
More than a third (41%) of all people on waiting lists for cardiac care are waiting over 18 weeks for care, now at 168,403. This was almost triple February 2020, despite heart care being time-critical.
The number of people waiting over a year for time-critical heart tests and treatments has risen to 10,893 from 10,212 in February. Just 28 people were waiting this long in February 2020.
Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, BHF associate medical director and consultant cardiologist, said: “I find it profoundly disturbing that record-breaking numbers of heart patients are on the waiting list and that they are waiting longer than ever.
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“This bucks the trend of overall waiting lists falling when we know that heart care can’t wait. Not getting the right heart test, treatment or surgery at the right time could lead to an avoidable heart attack, incurable heart failure, or even someone dying prematurely,” she added.
