The Covid surge hit key NHS services including cancer and routine surgery. Less than half the expected number of operations or scans were done, pushing the waiting list to a record high of 4.6 million. More than 300,000 of those have been waiting more than a year for treatment, compared to 1,600 before the pandemic began. Surgeons described a dire situation which would take a long time to turn around. One surgeon said, ‘Behind today's statistics are people waiting in limbo. Many will be in considerable pain; others will have restricted mobility and be at risk of isolation and loneliness. Dealing with this daunting backlog will take time, and sustained investment in the NHS.’ The true picture could be much worse with nearly 6 million fewer referrals made by GPs for routine treatments, including knee operations and hip replacements creating an additional hidden backlog.