A university student says he has put off visiting the doctors for two years due to the length of NHS waiting lists.

Ahmed Alhakem has been worried about his health since his first year at the University of Kent.

Almost 7.8 million people are currently on hold for treatment.

Records from the end of August estimate around 9,000 people were waiting more than 18 months for routine treatment, and according to NHS England, waiting times have hit a record high since 2007.

The fear of a long wait has resulted in Ahmed avoiding making a visit to the doctors for two years. The pharmacy student said: “It’s irritation in my stomach that I’ve been experiencing a lot.

“My dad’s had Ulcerative Colitis since 2017, and it’s the food that we eat that impacts our stomachs.

“It affects me day to day because I’m unaware what’s good for me and what’s bad for me. It’s all about dieting and having the correct advice is something I should get but I’ve been avoiding it because of the waiting times.

“If you go to A&E you’re waiting in there for a good four to five hours and you’re literally wasting your whole day just sitting there doing nothing.

“I tried calling the GP and asking them for an emergency appointment but they said my doctor wasn’t available even though it’s a priority and it should be considered an emergency.”

While the government blames the ongoing doctors strikes as playing a significant role in contributing to the delays that patients are experiencing, doctors disagree.

Medway-based GP Dr Julian Spinks said: “I have to say that it’s a convenient excuse for them because if you actually look at it the waiting list started to build a decade ago.

“The industrial action has had a small effect, but compared with the big rise prior to it, it’s a very small factor.

“The winter is a difficult time for the NHS so it’s a bigger challenge to actually maintain the waiting list and an even bigger challenge to reduce it during the winter.

“Unless investment is put into the NHS, I think we’re stuck with long waiting lists for several years.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Cutting waiting lists is one of the government’s top five priorities and despite disruption from strikes, 18 month waits have fallen by more than 90% since their peak in September 2021.”

It says it’s exceeded its target of 10,000 virtual beds by winter and is investing an extra £200 million to support the NHS during winter.

For now, doctors urge patients to continue to seek care if they are experiencing health concerns.