Tens of thousands of patients were waiting for routine treatment at Plymouth Hospitals Trust in February, new figures show.

It comes as a health policy think tank warned England's health and care system needs "fixing".

NHS England figures show 48,343 patients were waiting for non-urgent elective operations or treatment at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust at the end of February – down slightly from 48,686 in January, but an increase on 47,137 in February 2024.

Of those, 1,735 (4%) had been waiting for longer than a year.

The median waiting time from referral to treatment at Plymouth Hospitals Trust was 14 weeks at the end of February – the same as in January.

Nationally, 6.24 million people were waiting to start treatment at the end of February — down from 6.25 million at the end of January.

It means the waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England has fallen for the sixth month in a row.

Danielle Jefferies, senior analyst at The King’s Fund, welcomed the declining number of patients waiting for treatment, but warned the health and care system still needs "fixing".

She said: "Any direct improvements to hospital services will need to come hand-in-hand with the broader reforms needed to create a truly sustainable health service.

"Reforming social care, preventing ill health and bolstering community services outside hospitals will all be crucial to 'fixing' the health and care system and reversing the staggering collapse in public satisfaction with the NHS."

Separate figures show 1.7 million patients in England were waiting for a key diagnostic test in February – a rise on 1.6 million in January.

At Plymouth Hospitals Trust, 9,517 patients were waiting for one of 14 standard tests, such as an MRI scan, non-obstetric ultrasound or gastroscopy at this time.

Of them, 1,028 (11%) had been waiting for at least six weeks.

Other figures show cancer patients at Plymouth Hospitals Trust are not being seen quickly enough.

The NHS states 85% of cancer patients with an urgent referral should start treatment within 62 days.

But NHS England data shows just 66% of cancer patients urgently referred to Plymouth Hospitals Trust in February began treatment within two months of their referral.

That was up from 61% in January, but down from 68% in February 2024.

Oncologist Professor Pat Price, chair of Radiotherapy UK, said: "Today's cancer waiting times serve as yet another reminder of the need for a national cancer plan that supports patients who deserve prompt and cutting-edge treatment."

She warned "delays to cancer treatment have become commonplace", adding "we simply cannot afford to let cancer patients slip away unnoticed".

"I urge the Government to ensure that the forthcoming national cancer plan delivers the action needed to prevent patients from suffering the devastating – and avoidable – consequences of delayed or denied access to lifesaving treatment," she added.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said these figures are "more evidence of signs of genuine progress across a range of services", adding the NHS and the Government are committed "to continue on this trajectory for the benefit of patients".

He added: "It is fantastic to see that a record proportion of people have received vital results from cancer checks within the four-week standard, despite more people continuing to come forward, helping to give people clarity with that all-important diagnosis so they can plan next steps in terms of treatment or the relief of the all clear."

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: "Through this Government’s Plan for Change, we are starting to see a real difference.

"Fixing our NHS is a long road and this is just the start – but we’re doing the work and delivering for patients."