Reacting to new statistics revealing that 5.98 million people are waiting for hospital treatment in England and that 10,646 patients waited more than 12 hours in A&E last month – both record highs – Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health and Social Care Daisy Cooper MP said: “Johnson’s Conservatives are running our NHS into the ground and these damning figures should shock them into a reverse drive.
“No one should be stuck in A&E for hours or left waiting weeks for hospital treatment.
“Waiting times were already at a record high before the pandemic hit, but covid has pushed an already overstretched health service to breaking point.
“Boris Johnson’s Conservatives have neglected health services for years, and patients are suffering as a result.
“Ministers must take urgent action to rescue our health and care services this winter and make sure patients get the care they need. That must include finally delivering on their promise to recruit more GPs, so people can get seen locally without having to go into A&E.”