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Lamb: Hospital long waits reveal "dismal human cost" of NHS crisis

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.”

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