The number of people waiting to start regular hospital treatment in the UK has hit a record high.
In total, seven million patients are waiting to start treatment by the end of August, NHS England said.
This is up from 6.8 million in July and is the highest number since records began in August 2007.
It was also revealed a total of 387,257 people in the UK had waited more than a year to start hospital treatment at the end of August, up from 377,689 people at the end of July.
This equates to one out of 18 people on the entire waiting list.
The figures also showed 2,646 people had waited more than two years to start regular hospital treatment at the end of August, down slightly from 2,885 the previous month and markedly down from the peak of 23,778. in January of this year.
NHS England said it aimed to ensure no patient had to wait longer than two years for treatment, except in complicated cases or when the patient themselves chose to delay.
