Health chiefs are warning of ‘challenging times’ as it was revealed more than 36,000 people in Cheshire are waiting for local hospital treatment.

New figures have revealed 36,719 people are now waiting for referrals to Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for non emergency procedures - as a record breaking 7,071,829 people across England are now also on NHS waiting lists.

The latest local figures, which cover the month of September, show an rise compared to March when there were 31,740 people waiting for referrals for non-elective care. They include procedures like knee replacements and cataract surgery.

The figures came as healthcare think tank The King's Fund said the situation would likely worsen if budgets were cut further. Siva Anandaciva, chief analyst at the King's Fund, said the Government's fiscal statement, due on Thursday, would have a ‘profound impact’ on the quality and accessibility of health and care services.

Cllr Val Armstrong (Labour) cabinet member for public health at Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “After 12 years of Conservative rule the NHS is on its knees - and people in Cheshire West are paying the price. The winter has not even begun yet our health service is already deep in crisis.

“Labour has a fully funded plan to get our health service going again – by training the doctors and nurses we need to provide the care people in Cheshire West deserve, but Rishi Sunak is too weak to take the action necessary to deliver real change.”

She added: “The truth is this government has run out of ideas, and they are running our health service into the ground. The longer the Conservatives are in power, the longer people in Cheshire West will wait for care.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “These are challenging times and we know the coming months will see additional pressures on the healthcare system, but patients have the right to expect the NHS to be there for them and provide the care they need when they need it.”

He said the government was taking ‘urgent action’ to support emergency services, boosting capacity and resilience.

He added: “This includes an extra £500 million to speed up hospital discharge and free up beds, getting ambulances back on the road more quickly, delivering 50,000 more nurses, increasing the number of NHS 999 and 111 call handlers and creating the equivalent of at least 7,000 more beds.”

He also urged the public to support the NHS by having flu and Covid booster vaccines if eligible.