NHS Winter Crisis

9 Feb 2026

The Government is in denial at the extent of the winter crisis facing the NHS this year.

Research by the Liberal Democrats has shown that between January and October, a record 452,595 people waited more than 12 hours for a bed in A&E, up from just 1,590 over the same period in 2016. An increase of 34,000 on the same period last year.

On top of that, there has been a 75% rise in the number of incidents of A&Es having to divert patients to other hospitals due to being overwhelmed.

Liberal Democrat campaigner Arran Angus said, "The Government should have used the budget to save the NHS. Instead they are in total denial, as patients brace themselves for a historic crisis this winter."

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