Rishi Sunak has blamed medical doctors and nurses occurring strike for longer NHS ready occasions.

The prime minister admitted the backlog within the well being service has gone up since he took workplace 9 months in the past, when a file 7.2 million individuals had been awaiting remedy.

He has made reducing NHS ready lists one of his top five priorities ahead of the next election.

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But the most recent information reveals 7.5million sufferers had been ready to start out routine hospital remedy on the finish of May, up from 7.42million on the finish of April.

Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer challenged the prime minister over the rise on the remaining PMQs earlier than the summer season recess. He requested: "When the prime minister took office nine months ago, the NHS waiting list had 7.2 million people on it, what's the number today?"

Mr Sunak didn't give a determine however replied: "The reason that the NHS waiting lists are higher today than they were then - after actually being stable for the first months as we put in place new initiatives - is very simple, and that's because the NHS has been disrupted by industrial action."

He insisted the federal government had a "clear plan which is working" however "industrial action needs to end".

However the British Medical Association (BMA) - the union behind ongoing junior physician and advisor strikes - mentioned ready lists have been rising for the previous 13 years.

Labour's Wes Streeting additionally disputed the prime minister's clarification, tweeting: "Now we know why Rishi Sunak refuses to negotiate with NHS staff. He wants the strikes to go ahead, so he can blame doctors and nurses for his failure."

Green MP Caroline Lucas added: "So Sunak lastly admits that #NHS ready lists *are* going up.

"But let's be clear, junior medical doctors & nurses putting for honest & first rate pay is not the reason for our NHS in disaster - it is the symptom of 13 years of Tory Govt underfunding, understaffing & undervaluing it."

More than half a million hospital appointments have been cancelled due to the wave of NHS strike action which began in December, involving nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists and doctors.

The row comes ahead of a 48-hour strike by hospital consultants starting on Thursday, which NHS leaders have warned will leave routine care "at a standstill".

This follows the longest period of industrial action in the history of the NHS by junior doctors, which lasted five days from last Thursday to Tuesday morning.

Disruption is expected to continue throughout summer after the BMA rejected the government's "remaining supply" of a 6% pay rise, calling the increase "a savage real-terms pay reduce".

During PMQs Mr Sunak said doctors should accept the proposal and called on Sir Keir to back the government's position.

"On this significant situation, whereas his MPs are again on the picket strains, but once more on this situation he merely refuses to take a place," he said.

However Mr Sunak was then reprimanded by the Speaker of the House, who reminded him the prime minister is the one who should be answering questions.

Sir Keir went onto attack the government's NHS workforce plan, which he claimed was "nicked" from Labour however not totally costed, and likewise raised a report which confirmed the government is on track to break a key promise to build 40 new hospitals by 2030.

The PM insisted: "Not solely are we going to ship on our manifesto dedication to construct 40 new hospitals throughout the nation by 2030, we're not simply stopping there, we're additionally delivering 100 hospital upgrades throughout the nation and crucially over 100 new group diagnostic centres to hurry up remedy for individuals."