A&E waiting times have hit their worst levels on record, new figures reveal just weeks before voters go to the polls.
NHS England data shows just 83.6% of patients were admitted or treated within four hours – well below the government’s target of 95%.
This target was introduced under Labour in 2004, but has not been met since July 2015.
Nearly one in four cancer patients are waiting more than 62 days for their treatment to begin, figures show.
Labour’s shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth posted on Twitter: “It’s official – the Tories have pushed our NHS into crisis.”
He said the Conservatives should apologise to patients “languishing” on trollies and waiting for treatment after a decade of cuts.
(Image: PA)
Of the 118 trusts with Type 1 A&E departments – the highest level, with 24 hour cover and full resuscitation facilities – just three met the 95% target.
More than 80,000 patients had to wait more than four hours to be admitted after medics made the decision to admit them, NHS England reveals.
And in September the NHS revealed 76.9% of cancer patients were beginning treatment within 62 days – well short of the 85% target.
After the figures were published Mr Ashworth said: “The Conservatives have ushered in the worst NHS crisis on record.
(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)
“Under Boris Johnson the NHS is in crisis and we’re heading for a winter of abject misery for patients.
“Our A&Es are overwhelmed, more so than ever. In every community there’s an ever growing queue of people waiting for treatment.
“The Tories spent a decade cutting over 15,000 beds. Now they should apologise to every patient languishing on a trolley and waiting longer for treatment.
“These figures starkly show why patients desperately need Labour’s £40 billion rescue plan.”
(Image: Chris J Ratcliffe)
Despite the target not being met once since he became Health Secretary, Tory Matt Hancock launched an attack on Labour.
He said: “These figures show just how important it is that we stop Jeremy Corbyn. We are giving the biggest cash boost ever to our NHS, but Corbyn’s chaotic policies will put that at risk.”
He claimed Labour plans for a four day week and “unlimited immigration” could leave the NHS understaffed and underfunded.
Labour said yesterday that a 32 hour working week affecting all employees would be introduced over a decade, and rubbished Conservative claims it would cause chaos.
A year ago 89.1% of A&E patients were treated within four hours – meaning there has been a drop of nearly 6% in the past 12 months.
Last month the number of attendances at A&E departments was 2,170,510 – a 4.4% rise from the previous year.
There were 563,079 emergency admissions – a 3.1% increase.
