THE waiting list for hospital treatment has topped 7.5 million people in England for the first time reports the BBC.
It means nearly one in seven of the population is on an NHS waiting list for routine treatment, including hip and knee operations.
The number hit 7.57 million at the end of June – up by 100,000 on the month before.
NHS England said strike action had had an impact – junior doctors walked out for three days during June.
That led to the cancellation of more than 100,000 appointments.
