GMB, the union for NHS workers, has responded to a study showing the number of patients waiting 18 weeks of longer has rocketed.

New research by Labour reveals that the number of people forced to wait over 18 weeks for treatment has nearly doubled since 2011 – an increase of 262,965 patients. 

Rachel Harrison, GMB National Officer for the NHS said:

“With more than 100,000 staff vacancies and no credible plan for how to deal with this in the Governments Long Term Plan, the NHS is facing the single biggest crisis since its creation. 

“It’s not just recruitment that is desperately low, there is a retention crisis as floods of loyal NHS staff leave after years of real terms pay cuts and increasing workloads and pressures. 

"Our health service is being starved of cash by Tories who would not only put our NHS on the table - but cut it into little pieces to sell off to profiteers.

"Patients are left waiting months for specialist treatment as dedicated NHS staff are left without the funding and support they need to deliver the services of which they are capable.

"We will fight to defend our NHS from Tory attacks that put the core value of our proud health service at risk."