Responding to analysis by the Liberal Democrats showing that 1.5 million patients in England waited 12 hours or more after arriving at A&E over the past year, Rory Deighton, director of the acute network at the NHS Confederation, said:

"This winter has been incredibly busy for the health service, with pressure mounting from winter viruses, staff absences, cold weather and ongoing industrial action. This has led to a number of trusts declaring critical incidents as they struggle to make sure services are safe for patients.

"The latest data shows that too many people are waiting far too long in A&E. Emergency departments had the busiest January on record, with this spike in demand leading to rising numbers of patients waiting in hospital corridors as well.

"Long waits in A&E are putting patient safety at risk as well as leaving exhausted frontline staff – who have had to cope with the pandemic and industrial action – frustrated that they cannot provide the best care possible to their patients. Day after day staff are working to cope with a ceaseless demand for care, with our members reporting patients arriving sicker or with more co-morbidities, amid rota gaps caused by sickness or vacancies.

"Pressure now extends from the front doors of hospitals right to the back – ambulance handover delays are too long, and bed occupancy is too high, with too many patients still in hospital beds despite being medically fit enough to leave. These problems are having an impact across the whole urgent and emergency care system.

"There needs to be a continued focus on supporting and funding the social care sector, along with a workforce plan to mirror that in the NHS. Without support to get patients out of hospital more effectively, the pressure is likely to remain in emergency departments."