PRESS RELEASE : Royal College of Nursing responds to NHS England Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times [December 2022]

The press release issued by the RCN on 8 December 2022.

Responding to NHS England Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times, RCN Director for England, Patricia Marquis, said:

“The whole of the health and care system is under huge strain, with a record estimated 7.2 million people stuck on waiting lists in England and thousands waiting more than 12 hours to be admitted to a hospital bed or discharged because of a lack of community or social care.

“With a severely depleted workforce, the pressure on staff to do more and more with less and less is not sustainable. Patients are at risk and is why nurses are taking strike action on patient safety as well as pay.

“In a week’s time nurses will take to the picket lines in our first national strike. Nurses are doing this for their patients as much as for the profession.”