RECORD hospital waiting lists will not fall without significant new investment in staff – including a proper pay rise, unions warned today.

As NHS England revealed that the queue for in-patient treatment reached a new high of 5.3 million in May, health unions said their members were exhausted, overstretched, underpaid and increasingly demoralised.

Hospitals across the UK were reported to be at breaking point even before minsters in England rescind remaining Covid restrictions on July 19.