Submitting... Labour is calling for an NHS rescue plan to prioritise patient care (Photo: PA Wire/Anthony Devlin) Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth has pledged to use upcoming NHS legislation and votes in Parliament to demand Government action for those on hospital waiting lists. According to data from NHS England, the number of patients waiting more than 52 weeks to start their hospital treatment stood at 387,885 in February 2021 – the highest number for any calendar month since December 2007. A year ago, in February 2020, the number of people having to wait more than 52 weeks to start treatment stood at just 1,613. Health workers have faced enormous pressures throughout the coronavirus crisis, which have pushed up hospital waiting times.