New measures to counter the surge in NHS waiting lists are expected to be announced this week as the possibility of fresh restrictions to tackle the omicron Covid-19 variant emerged.
A record six million people are already waiting for NHS treatment and the backlog is expected to worsen in the coming months.
Government ministers have been looking at changing the way such patients facing non-emergency treatment are handled in the system in a bid to reduce the queue.
The knock-on problems for the NHS became apparent during the past 18 months of lockdowns, which put pressure on hospitals already under strain treating those critically ill with Covid
The pandemic has also seen scores of people put off routine check-ups over fear of infection, potentially meaning illnesses went undetected and untreated.
On Sunday government insiders downplayed the possibility of tough new restrictions in response to the emergence of the omicron variant.
But if restrictions were to be reimposed waiting lists would likely grow even bigger.
Tory strategists see NHS backlogs as one of the most politically challenging issues for Prime Minister Boris Johnson which could undercut his chances of re-election in 2024 if not handled well.
Tony Blair managed to bring down waiting times but only after an increase in healthcare spending. The reduction took place over years.
Mr Johnson and Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, agreed to put £36 million more into healthcare over the next three years to tackle the backlog and start to fund social care reforms.
Ministers have since insisted that they need an ambitious reforms agenda if they are to make sure the new money is used efficiently.
Announcements that were due to be made over the weekend have been delayed
This week was pencilled in as “health week” by Downing Street planners with a series of announcements expected – not least reforms to try to drive down NHS waiting lists.
But announcements that were due to be made over the weekend have been delayed as the Government focuses on dealing with the omicron variant.
Earlier this month Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, conceded that the number waiting for NHS treatment would continue to rise.
Mr Javid said: “This number is going to go up before it comes down. Why? Because some seven to eight million people stayed away during the height of the Covid crisis because they were asked to. They did what was asked of them.
“But I want them to come forward, I want them to come back to the NHS, I want them to know that it is open to them, and if you take that along with normal demand of course that is huge pressure.”
