‘Vulnerable’ NHS blamed for rise in winter waiting times

Letter by health service chiefs leaked as figures show record numbers of patients forced to wait up to 12 hours for a bed

A “worrying increase” in the number of patients waiting on trolleys for up to 12 hours before they are admitted to hospital is being blamed by NHS bosses on the “vulnerable” nature of the health service in winter, according to a leaked letter.

As latest figures show a doubling in the number of patients forced to wait up to 12 hours for a bed on a ward, the head of the NHS in England has warned that any patient forced to wait that long should be classed as a “serious incident”.

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