The number of people waiting longer than they should for hospital care have hit a five-year high in England, figures show. - NHS England data for 2016-17 reveals 2.5 million patients waited over four hours in A&E - up from 725,000 in 2011-12.
- Those waiting over 62 days for cancer treatment topped 26,000 - nearly double the total five years ago.
- Meanwhile, over 360,000 people have now waited over 18 weeks for an operation, compared to 160,000 five years ago.
Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb said: "These figures reveal the dismal human cost of the NHS crisis. Millions of patients are waiting in distress and anxiety. "There is a moral obligation on the government to end this shameful neglect and address the chronic underfunding of our health service. "Only the Liberal Democrats have put forward a credible plan to rescue the NHS and care by putting a penny in the pound on income tax." ENDS Notes See analysis of latest NHS England figures by the BBC here The Liberal Democrat manifesto will set out a 'five-point recovery plan' for NHS and social care services. This will include a 1% rise on the basic, higher, additional and dividend rates of income tax in the next financial year raising around £6bn per year, which will be ringfenced to be spent on NHS and care services and public health. | 