Ambulance response times for heart attacks were much longer than targets (Image: Getty)
Health leaders have raised concerns that Labour is focusing on the wrong areas “instead of facing the frontline problems” as the NHS heads for another winter crisis.
Almost 50,000 people waited more than 12 hours in A&E in October, up from 39,000 in September, and the Royal College of Nursing warned that “near record numbers are languishing on trolleys”.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Rachel Reeves warned her Budget will wreck small shops and devastate High Street
16 Comments
Reform UK tears into Labour over record high UK immigration stats - 'No end!'
204 Comments
Ministers urged to abandon gimmicks in tackling NHS obesity costs as shock report released
1 Comments
Labour warned of 'dread in hearts' of emergency doctors as NHS winter crisis looms
1 Comments
Angela Rayner sparks fury from locals as she seizes control of 8,400-home mega town
50 Comments
Esther Rantzen's daughter moved to tears by 650 'dying wishes' outside Parliament
2 Comments
Labour investigating true figure of farmers impacted by inheritance tax raid in budget
72 Comments
Peter Mandelson told me to ‘F-Off!"
48 Comments
Police impose tractor ban on farmers planning mass protest over inheritance tax changes
565 Comments
Labour minister shuts down civil servants demanding four-day week: 'Not the 1970s!'
86 Comments
Lee Anderson savages Sadiq Khan with brutal three-word putdown after Trump comments
551 Comments
Keir Starmer will bankrupt UK - we badly need our own Elon Musk
210 Comments
Threat of Islamist extremism in UK prisons exposed in dire new warning
48 Comments
Sadiq Khan calls Donald Trump racist claiming President-elect has 'singled him out'
1864 Comments
Wes Streeting faces backlash over ruthless NHS reform plan to root out 'rotten apples'
67 Comments
Labour infighting erupts over assisted dying as grandee slaps down Wes Streeting
Comments
Britain warned not to stop building fighter jet that is 'backbone' of the RAF
3 Comments
Rachel Reeves slammed by high street giant as shoppers warned prices are bound to rocket
222 Comments
UK tops immigration chart as 750,000 'permanent' migrants flooded in last year
1029 Comments
Seventh generation farmer accuses Labour of trying to destroy sector with Budget changes
2 Comments
Rachel Reeves warned her Budget will wreck small shops and devastate High Street
16 Comments
Reform UK tears into Labour over record high UK immigration stats - 'No end!'
204 Comments
Ministers urged to abandon gimmicks in tackling NHS obesity costs as shock report released
1 Comments
Labour warned of 'dread in hearts' of emergency doctors as NHS winter crisis looms
1 Comments
Angela Rayner sparks fury from locals as she seizes control of 8,400-home mega town
50 Comments
Esther Rantzen's daughter moved to tears by 650 'dying wishes' outside Parliament
2 Comments
Labour investigating true figure of farmers impacted by inheritance tax raid in budget
72 Comments
Peter Mandelson told me to ‘F-Off!"
48 Comments
Police impose tractor ban on farmers planning mass protest over inheritance tax changes
565 Comments
Labour minister shuts down civil servants demanding four-day week: 'Not the 1970s!'
86 Comments
Lee Anderson savages Sadiq Khan with brutal three-word putdown after Trump comments
551 Comments
Keir Starmer will bankrupt UK - we badly need our own Elon Musk
210 Comments
Threat of Islamist extremism in UK prisons exposed in dire new warning
48 Comments
Sadiq Khan calls Donald Trump racist claiming President-elect has 'singled him out'
1864 Comments
Wes Streeting faces backlash over ruthless NHS reform plan to root out 'rotten apples'
67 Comments
Labour infighting erupts over assisted dying as grandee slaps down Wes Streeting
Comments
Britain warned not to stop building fighter jet that is 'backbone' of the RAF
3 Comments
Rachel Reeves slammed by high street giant as shoppers warned prices are bound to rocket
222 Comments
UK tops immigration chart as 750,000 'permanent' migrants flooded in last year
1029 Comments
Seventh generation farmer accuses Labour of trying to destroy sector with Budget changes
2 Comments
Rachel Reeves warned her Budget will wreck small shops and devastate High Street
16 Comments
Reform UK tears into Labour over record high UK immigration stats - 'No end!'
204 Comments
Ministers urged to abandon gimmicks in tackling NHS obesity costs as shock report released
1 Comments
Labour warned of 'dread in hearts' of emergency doctors as NHS winter crisis looms
1 Comments
Angela Rayner sparks fury from locals as she seizes control of 8,400-home mega town
50 Comments
Esther Rantzen's daughter moved to tears by 650 'dying wishes' outside Parliament
2 Comments
Labour investigating true figure of farmers impacted by inheritance tax raid in budget
72 Comments
Meanwhile, ambulances took an average of 42 minutes and 15 seconds to respond to emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes against an 18-minute target.
Dr Vicky Price, president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine, said the Government needed to “turn its attention to the threat of winter”.
She added: “We have grave concerns that focus is being placed in the wrong areas, with talk about the introduction of league tables, penalties and consultations distracting from the pressing need to deliver meaningful solutions on the ground right now.
Don't miss...
Wes Streeting faces backlash over ruthless NHS reform plan [LATEST]
Health Secretary to sack poor NHS managers and publish hospital league tables [LATEST]
NHS to offer 'game-changer' daily pill to help thousands quit smoking [LATEST]
“Instead of looking at ways to penalise and shame struggling hospitals, we call on the government to look urgently at social care provision and delayed discharges of medically fit patients which is the root cause of many hospitals’ issues yet remains the elephant in the room when it comes to the NHS.”
Dr Adrian Boyle, president of The Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said the figures would “strike yet more dread in the hearts of emergency clinicians”.
He added: “They are yet another clear indicator of the winter crisis which is looking even more inevitable.
“The huge spike in the number of people being forced to endure stays in A&Es of more than 12 hours is deeply concerning. Long waits are not just inconvenient or uncomfortable, they are dangerous. To be blunt, they put people’s lives at risk.”
The overall NHS treatment waiting list fell for the first time since February, by around 70,000 to 7.57m in September.
Don't miss...
Labour's waiting list target 'unlikely to be met', NHS leaders say [LATEST]
Your local pharmacy could be forced to close thanks to Rachel Reeves [LATEST]
Patients 'unlikely to see improvement' from ￡22.6 billion NHS Budget boost [LATEST]
Trending
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
However, a target of eliminating waits longer than 65 weeks by September was missed with 22,900 still waiting.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Rachel Reeves warned her Budget will wreck small shops and devastate High Street
14 Comments
Reform UK tears into Labour over record high UK immigration stats - 'No end!'
201 Comments
Ministers urged to abandon gimmicks in tackling NHS obesity costs as shock report released
1 Comments
Labour warned of 'dread in hearts' of emergency doctors as NHS winter crisis looms
1 Comments
Angela Rayner sparks fury from locals as she seizes control of 8,400-home mega town
46 Comments
Esther Rantzen's daughter moved to tears by 650 'dying wishes' outside Parliament
2 Comments
Labour investigating true figure of farmers impacted by inheritance tax raid in budget
72 Comments
Peter Mandelson told me to ‘F-Off!"
48 Comments
Police impose tractor ban on farmers planning mass protest over inheritance tax changes
565 Comments
Labour minister shuts down civil servants demanding four-day week: 'Not the 1970s!'
86 Comments
Lee Anderson savages Sadiq Khan with brutal three-word putdown after Trump comments
551 Comments
Keir Starmer will bankrupt UK - we badly need our own Elon Musk
211 Comments
Threat of Islamist extremism in UK prisons exposed in dire new warning
48 Comments
Sadiq Khan calls Donald Trump racist claiming President-elect has 'singled him out'
1864 Comments
Wes Streeting faces backlash over ruthless NHS reform plan to root out 'rotten apples'
67 Comments
Labour infighting erupts over assisted dying as grandee slaps down Wes Streeting
Comments
Britain warned not to stop building fighter jet that is 'backbone' of the RAF
3 Comments
Rachel Reeves slammed by high street giant as shoppers warned prices are bound to rocket
222 Comments
UK tops immigration chart as 750,000 'permanent' migrants flooded in last year
1003 Comments
Seventh generation farmer accuses Labour of trying to destroy sector with Budget changes
2 Comments
Rachel Reeves warned her Budget will wreck small shops and devastate High Street
14 Comments
Reform UK tears into Labour over record high UK immigration stats - 'No end!'
201 Comments
Ministers urged to abandon gimmicks in tackling NHS obesity costs as shock report released
1 Comments
Labour warned of 'dread in hearts' of emergency doctors as NHS winter crisis looms
1 Comments
Angela Rayner sparks fury from locals as she seizes control of 8,400-home mega town
46 Comments
Esther Rantzen's daughter moved to tears by 650 'dying wishes' outside Parliament
2 Comments
Labour investigating true figure of farmers impacted by inheritance tax raid in budget
72 Comments
Peter Mandelson told me to ‘F-Off!"
48 Comments
Police impose tractor ban on farmers planning mass protest over inheritance tax changes
565 Comments
Labour minister shuts down civil servants demanding four-day week: 'Not the 1970s!'
86 Comments
Lee Anderson savages Sadiq Khan with brutal three-word putdown after Trump comments
551 Comments
Keir Starmer will bankrupt UK - we badly need our own Elon Musk
211 Comments
Threat of Islamist extremism in UK prisons exposed in dire new warning
48 Comments
Sadiq Khan calls Donald Trump racist claiming President-elect has 'singled him out'
1864 Comments
Wes Streeting faces backlash over ruthless NHS reform plan to root out 'rotten apples'
67 Comments
Labour infighting erupts over assisted dying as grandee slaps down Wes Streeting
Comments
Britain warned not to stop building fighter jet that is 'backbone' of the RAF
3 Comments
Rachel Reeves slammed by high street giant as shoppers warned prices are bound to rocket
222 Comments
UK tops immigration chart as 750,000 'permanent' migrants flooded in last year
1003 Comments
Seventh generation farmer accuses Labour of trying to destroy sector with Budget changes
2 Comments
Rachel Reeves warned her Budget will wreck small shops and devastate High Street
14 Comments
Reform UK tears into Labour over record high UK immigration stats - 'No end!'
201 Comments
Ministers urged to abandon gimmicks in tackling NHS obesity costs as shock report released
1 Comments
Labour warned of 'dread in hearts' of emergency doctors as NHS winter crisis looms
1 Comments
Angela Rayner sparks fury from locals as she seizes control of 8,400-home mega town
46 Comments
Esther Rantzen's daughter moved to tears by 650 'dying wishes' outside Parliament
2 Comments
Labour investigating true figure of farmers impacted by inheritance tax raid in budget
72 Comments
In cancer care, some 74.8% of patients in England urgently referred for suspected cancer in September were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days, below the target of 75%.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said the NHS was “going into winter under more pressure and busier than ever before” even before winter viruses hit.
He added: “It is vital that people help us out by only going to A&E or calling 999 in a life-threatening emergency, using 111 for other conditions, and getting their Covid, flu and RSV vaccinations if eligible.”