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The number of people waiting to start routine hospital treatment in England has reached a record high.

In all, seven million patients were waiting to start treatment at 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 total of 387,257 people in England had been waiting more than a year to start hospital treatment at the end of August, up from 377,689 at the end of July.

This is means one out of every 18 people on the waiting list is waiting over 12 months to begin treatment.

Figures also showed that 2,646 people had been waiting over two years to begin routine hospital treatment at the end of August, slightly down from 2,885 the previous month and markedly down from a peak of 23,778 in January this year.

NHS England had said its target was for no patients waiting longer than two years for treatment, except in instances of complex cases or when the patient themselves chooses to delay.

Ambulance waiting times were also revealed, with the wait for calls from people with life-threatening illnesses or injuries averaging nine minutes 19 seconds. The target for these types of incidents is seven minutes.

The average wait for ambulances to arrive in instances of non-life-threatening injuries was 47 minutes 59 seconds in September, over half an hour longer than the target time of 17 minutes.

The number of people waiting longer than 12 hours in A&E for a bed after being seen by a doctor also reached a new record high of 32,776 in September, up by more than 4,000 on the previous month.

This figure is higher than the total recorded in the 124 months from August 2010 (since records began) to November 2020.

A total of 71% of patients in England were seen within the target four hours at A&E departments across England last month, level with the worst performance ever recorded.

The national target is for 95% of patients to be dealt with in under four hours, a target which has not been met since 2015.

A record number of 255,055 urgent cancer referrals were made by GPs in August – however only 75.6% saw a specialist within the two week target time, the second worst performance on record.

Monthly figures also showed there was more NHS activity than before the pandemic with 4% more patients receiving treatment in August compared to the same month in 2019, and more than two million tests and checks carried out.

The number of patients in hospital with COVID has also more than doubled since September to over 10,000.

Labour’s Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, branded the news that NHS waiting lists were now the longest in history “totally unacceptable”.

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Sky’s Ashish Joshi speaks to NHS staff to find out if the government’s plans are enough

He said: “Twelve years of Conservative understaffing of the health service is holding our economy back, with patients unable to work while they wait. You can’t have a healthy economy without a healthy society.”

“The next Labour government will oversee the biggest expansion of the NHS workforce in history, paid for by abolishing the non-dom tax status. We will train the doctors and nurses our NHS needs to get patients treated, healthy and back to work.”

NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: “Despite huge pressures on the NHS this summer, the incredible work of colleagues across the country meant that in August we delivered more potentially life-saving cancer checks than ever before and cut 18-month waits by 60% over the last year.

“This was despite continued pressure from Covid patients in hospital, which has now risen to more than double the numbers seen in August, and more of the most serious ambulance callouts than before the pandemic.”

To register your interest and share your story, please email TheGreatDebate@sky.uk

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Two killed in stabbing at business premises in London

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Two killed in stabbing at business premises in London

Two men have died after a stabbing in central London.

Police were called to a business premises in Long Lane, Southwark, at 1pm on Monday, where they found four people had been stabbed.

A 58-year-old man died at the scene while three others were taken to hospital, the Metropolitan Police said. These included a 27-year-old man who has since died.

A third man, who is in his thirties, remains in hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.

Another man in his thirties, who has been detained in connection with the incident, remains in a life-threatening condition in hospital.

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Detective Chief Superintendent Emma Bond said: “Our investigation is in the early stages and we are working hard to understand the full circumstances of this shocking incident.

“At this point, we do not believe it to be terrorism-related and there is no further risk to the public.”

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Lionesses celebrate Euros triumph at ‘very special’ Downing Street reception

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Lionesses celebrate Euros triumph at 'very special' Downing Street reception

The red carpet was rolled out at No 10 on Monday evening as the Lionesses attended a reception to celebrate their Euro 2025 victory.

The England squad went straight to Downing Street after touching down at Southend Airport in Essex less than 24 hours after they defeated Spain in a penalty shootout in Sunday’s final.

Led by captain Leah Williamson, who proudly clutched the trophy, the side posed for pictures outside No 10 before being greeted by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.

England women's football team pose for a photo in Downing Street, London, as they attend a reception at No 10, Pic: PA
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The England squad outside No 10. Pic: PA

England's team captain Leah Williamson carries the trophy when leaving a special reception, to celebrate their victory in the Women's Euro 2025 final, at Downing Street in London, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
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Leah Williamson carries the trophy. Pic: AP

Speaking to Sky News correspondent Ashna Hurynag after the 40-minute reception, England manager Sarina Wiegman described the celebration as “very, very special”.

“To be able to go inside and also be in the garden there, [was] really nice,” she said. “They had put up pictures of us to show what we had done in the Euros… it was very, very special.”

Some people on social media have called for the England boss – who is from the Netherlands – to get an honorary damehood, but Wiegman told Ashna Hurynag that she “hasn’t thought about that”.

“I feel so much respect from England and from the Royal Family too, I think that’s the most important thing, feeling valued,” she said.

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Weigman also joined some of the players to videocall Sir Keir Starmer, who was in Scotland with Donald Trump.

England attend Downing Street reception. Pic: Reuters
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England manager Sarina Wiegman and some of the players on a video call with Sir Keir Starmer. Pic: Reuters

England manager Sarina Wiegman speaks at a reception at No 10 Downing Street, London. Pic: Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Wire
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Pic: PA

Angela Rayner reacts during a reception to celebrate England's victory in the Women's EURO 2025, at Downing Street in London. Reuters
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Angela Rayner congratulates some of the players. Pic: Reuters

In a speech at the reception, the manager quipped: “I have to make my apologies [for giving] you lots of heart attacks.”

“We made it through and that’s why we’re here now,” she continued.

“The team is just incredible, we won the Euros but making the final, we’re already legendary. Thank you so much for having us here.”

As the Lionesses left Downing Street, some stopped to try and meet another famous feline – Larry the Cat.

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Sarina Wiegman and Leah Williamson with the trophy as she and members of the England team attend a reception at Downing St. Pic: PA
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Sarina Wiegman and Leah Williamson in the garden at No 10. Pic: PA

England's Esme Morgan, Anna Moorhouse and Grace Clinton try and get Larry the Cat's attention as they leave No.10 Downing Street. Pic: PA
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England’s Esme Morgan, Anna Moorhouse and Grace Clinton try and get Larry the Cat’s attention. Pic: PA

The celebrations will continue on Tuesday afternoon with an open-top bus parade through central London before the team gather outside Buckingham Palace.

The Lionesses retained their Women’s Euros title on Sunday night by beating Spain in Basel, Switzerland.

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Behind the scenes after Lionesses’ win

Mariona Caldentey put Spain 1-0 ahead in the first half, but England’s Alessia Russo levelled the score in the 57th minute.

The game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes, with the score remaining the same at the end of extra-time.

The match then went to a penalty shootout, which the Lionesses won 3-1.

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‘No other drug does this amount of damage so quickly to your kidneys and bladder’: How party drug is destroying lives

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