departments, and to make inroads into the backlog of care that built up into the backlog of care that built up and was building up before covid and built up a lot more during covid. that balancing act, meeting demand and making inroads into the backlog, is a tough thing to do it the best of times, it is impossible to do when you are losing around half your medical staff. so there is no question that the targets we have set for ourselves, the aims we have got to reduce those waiting lists are going to be dented by this and thatis are going to be dented by this and that is a real pity. because we had been making progress, we had got to the stage at the end of march where we massively reduced almost to zero the number of people waiting more than 18 months for example for a procedure. so it is kind of heartbreaking if you have been a leader in the health service, anyone in the health service, and you have got those waiting this down, you have got, achieve the balancing act and lo
a patient know about that if you are a patient and you haven t been told your appointment or operation has been cancelled, then please assume it is going to go ahead. i think the system is coping. i would want to make one point, though. which is that the reason we are managing reasonably effective today is because of the extra work being put in by nhs managers, so i would invite people next time they hear a politician or someone else attack managers in the health service recognise people i represent, they have abandoned their holidays, they have abandoned their holidays, they have been working tirelessly for several weeks to make sure we are able to manage the situation. but nevertheless, it will still have a major impact. nevertheless, it will still have a major impact- nevertheless, it will still have a major impact. nevertheless, it will still have a ma orimact. ~ ., major impact. and the knock-on could last for months major impact. and the knock-on could last for months and