The number of people waiting to be admitted to hospitals in England at the end of March this year was 1,297,700, an increase of 35,700 (2.8 per cent) since the previous quarter.
The waiting list in Scotland is around 89,500 and in Wales 110,700.
The number of hospital beds available throughout the NHS in 1996/1997 was 192,000.
There are around 1 million doctors, nurses, ancillary and administration staff employed in the NHS.
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The NHS spent £42 billion in 1997/1998.
The average cost of a kidney transplant to the NHS is £7,000, while a hip replacement operation costs £3,300.
Surgeons perform about 220 hip operations each day and 750 heart operations.