The Guardian has reported that figures obtained by the Labour Party have shown that a significant number of patients are left waiting outside A&E units because hospitals do not have the capacity to take them in. It is estimated that almost 300,000 patients in England were waiting in ambulance queues while 279,000 ambulances were delayed for more than 30 minutes as a result. The Party added that these delays occur due to staff or bed shortages. Labour used the figures to criticise the Government’s handling of the NHS, while NHS England stressed that improvements in the ambulance system have already been made although there is always room for more to be done.
