Number highest since records began in 2007, while 293,000 have been waiting more than a year
The number of people waiting for hospital treatment in England has hit a record high of 5.61 million, as the NHS struggles to clear the growing backlog of care caused by Covid-19.
It means 1.4 million more patients are waiting for procedures such as a hip or knee replacement or cataract removal than when the pandemic struck in March 2020, forcing the suspension of much NHS care such as diagnostic tests and surgery.