The record waiting list for NHS treatment will go up even further, a health minister has admitted, despite a pledge by Rishi Sunak in January that “NHS waiting lists will fall”. 

Maria Caulfield said the number of people in England waiting to start routine hospital treatment “probably will go up higher” and “it will go up before it comes down”. 

It was revealed last month that the waiting list at the end of April this year had risen to a new record high of 7.4million people, up from 7.3million in March. That was the highest number since records began in August 2007. 

The comments by the health minister during an interview on Sky News this morning came on the day the NHS marks its 75th anniversary.

Cutting NHS waiting lists is one of Mr Sunak’s five priorities, along with halving inflation, growing the economy, reducing debt and stopping the boats. 

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