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We continue to see very long lists of people waiting for potentially lifesaving care. The waiting list for cardiac care in England has increased to more than 408,000 people at the end of January 2024, despite a decline in waiting lists across the NHS, according to the latest analysis.

Heart disease waiting lists are up 75% since February 2020.
Thousands more face painful wait times for time-sensitive cardiac care.

I can’t wait for mental care
Not only are there more people waiting, but wait times are also getting longer. This places a tremendous mental and physical burden on them and their loved ones every day.

Latest figures show that 40% of people on heart treatment waiting lists in the UK were waiting longer than the maximum target of 18 weeks at the end of January 2024. And more than 10,000 people have been waiting more than a year for heart tests or treatment.

Such significantly longer wait times would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. As of February 2020, only 28 people had waited more than a year for heart care.

All services providing critical cardiac care have been severely impacted by the pandemic

Extreme delays at every step
The disruption is not limited to elective care. Waiting lists have always existed, but all services that provide essential cardiac care have been severely impacted by the pandemic and the sustained pressures that followed.

Even people experiencing medical emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes wait too long for ambulances and life-saving treatment.

We fear this will have dire consequences. Her recent BHF analysis found that despite decades of progress in reducing premature mortality from cardiovascular disease in the UK, it has increased for the third year in a row.

While many factors may have contributed to this reversal, including Covid-19, the relentless pressure on NHS cardiac care services is likely to be a contributing factor.

Prioritize mental care
What can you do with it?

We know the scale of the challenge is enormous. The population is aging and growing, and the prevalence of many risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as obesity and hypertension, remains high.

Politicians are also paying attention. The Government’s Interim Report on its Critical Events Strategy recognizes the need for urgency to address cardiovascular disease. Meanwhile, Labor has pledged to reduce deaths from heart attacks and strokes by 25% over the next 10 years.

But the NHS needs more support at a faster pace to meaningfully address this heart health crisis.

There is a lot of ground to cover, but politicians should start by looking at the acute staffing shortage across the NHS.

The Government’s NHS Long Term Workforce Plan was a welcome commitment, but delivering this plan requires sustainable funding. The funding announced in the Spring Budget to support the modernization of the NHS is positive, but it alone will not solve the wide range of factors contributing to long waiting times for cardiac treatment. Concrete plans and targeted investments to address cardiac staff shortages can help patients get the care they need faster.

Taking the right action at the right time could relieve huge pressure on the NHS, grow the economy and, most importantly, help more people live healthier and longer lives . And I can’t wait any longer.

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