A&E wait times at hospital worrying - Starmer

The Labour leader called the situation in the NHS "the worst crisis in 13 years"

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he would be "worried" if one of his relatives had to use a hospital's under-pressure emergency department.

He and deputy leader Angela Rayner were visiting The Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) in Harlow, Essex.

He was speaking in response to hearing more than 5,000 patients had to wait more than four hours at its A&E in December before admission, transfer or discharge.

Stephanie Lawton, chief operating officer at PAH, said the department had experienced an "extremely high demand" and that its teams were working hard to assess, treat and admit patients.

The Conservative government announced £250m earlier this month to buy thousands of care home beds and upgrade hospitals in the hope of easing winter pressures.

Harlow Council's Labour group leader Chris Vince (second from left) joined Angela Rayner and Sir Keir Starmer in meeting staff at the hospital

A total of 49.1% of A&E patients at Harlow in December - 5,477 people - were not admitted within the four-hour target, the seventh greatest figure of any hospital trust in England.

"I would be worried," said Sir Keir.

"[The staff have] told me just how hard they're working; just how frustrated they are that they've got waits at the front door to the hospital, so it's a real NHS crisis.

"This is probably the worst crisis for 13 years and that is what 13 years of a Tory government has done."

The MP for Harlow, Conservative Robert Halfon, said he had loved ones who had experienced an "incredible" service at the A&E department at PAH.

He said: "I am proud of the staff there and rather than talk it down and scare people, we should be doing everything possible to support our staff with the extra money and extra investment which is what the government has done."

Sir Keir said his party, if in power, would double the number of students going through medical college.

He did not detail what Labour would do in the short term to address the winter pressures.

Ambulance delays outside A&E reached a new high in England last month.

The government previously pledged Harlow a new hospital by 2025, but Princess Alexandra does not expect it until 2028 at the earliest.

Sir Keir said Labour would "carry into effect the plans that others have promised".

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He welcomed pop star Sir Rod Stewart's public support for Labour, which included promising to pay for 20 private scans for other patients.

The Labour leader, however, said the need for care that was free at the point of delivery was "fundamental".

Sir Keir said he would negotiate an end to widespread industrial action, if he were prime minister, but did not say whether he would increase real-terms pay for NHS staff.

Angela Rayner and Sir Keir Starmer visited the hospital before walking to the ambulance unit opposite the building

Stephanie Lawton, chief operating officer at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, said: "We have experienced an extremely high demand on our emergency department - paediatric and adult.

"Our dedicated teams continue to work hard to assess, treat and admit patients and ensure that those who are well enough can leave hospital and return home as soon as possible."

The Department for Health and Social Care said there were about 4,900 doctors and 10,900 more nurses in the NHS in November, compared with 12 months previously.

Health and social care secretary Steve Barclay said a workforce plan would be published this year.