Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to new NHS figures showing the Government has missed the operation waiting time target, with thousands more patients waiting too long for treatment and 160,000 missing patients,said:

“The Prime Minister promised to keep NHS waiting times down but these figures show he has failed the test he set himself. 

"Under his Government, there are more people on NHS waiting lists and those patients are waiting longer for treatment. In June, the NHS missed its waiting time target with 32,500 people who waited longer than 18 weeks - the highest in six years. Under David Cameron, people are seeing a return to that old Tory choice of suffering in silence or paying to go private.

"What people will find worrying about these figures is the admission for the first time that there are around 160,000 people waiting who are missing from official figures. People need to have a clear explanation as to why official figures have underestimated waiting lists and an assurance that this will immediately be put right.

"Today’s revelations come just weeks after Davis Cameron told the Commons that waiting times were improving. This self-serving spin is of no use to people waiting in pain for their operation.

"David Cameron’s reorganisation has dragged the NHS down to the point where it can no longer meet his waiting time targets. You can’t trust the Tories will the NHS.”