To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to reduce excessive waiting times for accident and emergency patients.

The Government has given the National Health Service a record £700 million of additional support to ensure urgent and emergency care services are sustainable year-round and ready for the pressures of winter. Local plans to spend this money provide for nearly 8,800 extra staff and almost 6,500 extra beds. The Government is also acting to ease the pressure on accident and emergency (A&E) departments, by supporting faster discharge from hospitals. We have given ring-fenced grant totalling £37 million to councils, to help prevent delayed discharges.

For the longer term NHS England’s urgent and emergency care review is looking at ways to improve the system, including easing pressures on A&E departments.