A file 420,000 sufferers have been compelled to attend greater than 12 hours in accident and emergency models final yr, new figures have revealed.
The large determine is 20% increased than in 2022 – and an astonishing 50-fold enhance on 4 years in the past.
It means a mean of 1,150 sufferers a day confronted waits of 12 hours or extra to be admitted to hospital final yr.
The findings, based mostly on evaluation of NHS England information by the Lib Dems, additionally confirmed that in some elements of the nation, almost half of these attending A&E have to attend greater than 12 hours.
Lib Dem chief Ed Davey stated: “Yearly A&E delays are getting worse and worse underneath this Conservative authorities as hospitals are starved of the sources and workers they want.
“These appalling delays are leaving usually susceptible and aged sufferers ready for hours on finish in overcrowded A&Es.
“It’s merely unthinkable that Rishi Sunak is now selecting to slash funding for the NHS additional, whereas handing huge tax cuts to the banks. It will simply pour petrol on the flames of the NHS disaster.
“Folks deserve so a lot better than this Conservative authorities that’s ignoring the struggling of sufferers and driving our well being service into the bottom.”
In accordance with the figures, simply 8,272 individuals waited 12 hours or extra to be admitted to hospital at A&E in 2019. However by final yr, that had elevated to 419,560.
A Division of Well being and Social Care spokesperson stated: “Our pressing and emergency care restoration plan is already chopping each A&E waits and ambulance response instances in comparison with final yr – however we all know there may be extra to do.
“We’re on monitor to ship an extra 5,000 everlasting staffed hospital beds this winter and have met our goal to ship 10,000 digital ward beds, permitting sufferers to get better from the consolation of acquainted environment.
“We just lately supplied £800 million to help capability within the NHS and assist sufferers get the care they want as shortly as potential this winter.”
