Health Minister: A&E waiting times 'are back on track'

The NHS in England missed its A&E waiting time target in the first three months of the year, researchers say.

A total of 313,000 patients waited more than four hours, up 39% on the similar period in 2012, the King's Fund said after analysing official statistics.

That represented 5.9% of patients when the NHS is allowed a leeway of 5%.

Health Minister Dan Poulter blamed "a very difficult winter" for the latest figures, citing flu, norovirus and an increased number of trips and falls due to ice and snow,