Long NHS waits to get tested for conditions such as cancers have seen a more than 16-fold increase.
Patients waiting more than six weeks have increased from 30,000 to 469,000 as routine NHS care ground to a halt during the coronavirus crisis.
Those waiting for lifesaving Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans to detect tumours throughout the body increased from 5,733 to 78,932.
The extent of the backlog in England was revealed by the Labour Party on the eve of an Opposition Day Debate in to the NHS crisis in Parliament today(WED).
Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth said: “Ministers tell us the NHS has ‘coped’ through the Covid-19 peak but that was on the back of cancelled operations, delayed scans and diagnostic tests.
“Estimates suggest two million people are waiting for cancer screening, tests or treatment and that 1,600 cases of cancer are currently left undiagnosed every month.
“It’s now urgent ministers bring forward a plan to tackle the backlog in non-Covid-19 care.
“A vital component would be the introduction of weekly routine testing of all NHS staff to keep them and patients safe from Covid-19 while receiving treatment.
“We’re calling on MPs to support this motion to tackle the rapidly growing queues of their constituents waiting for treatment.”
Brits waiting for a colonoscopy for suspected bowel cancer shot up from 5,234 to 32,430.
Those waiting for a test called a flexible sigmoidoscopy, also for bowel cancer, increased from 1,820 to 14,957.
The waiting list for bladder cancer tests, called a cystoscopy, soared from 1,270 to 8,190.
Labour will attempt to bring the issue of weekly Covid-19 tests for all NHS staff to a vote in the House of Commons today.
