A&E patients facing waiting time of up to 50 hours

Patients at Royal Liverpool University Hospital's accident and emergency unit are facing waits of up to 50 hours.

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has declared a "critical incident" due to "exceptionally high demand" on services and urged people to only go to A&E in a genuine medical emergency.

The hospital said it was "extremely busy" amid a rising number of patients with flu and other respiratory conditions, prompting Liverpool Riverside Labour MP Kim Johnson to call on the government to immediately come up with a plan to increase NHS funding.

Critical incidents have also been declared in the East Midlands, Devon and Cornwall.

A Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said emergency measures had been put in place which would allow managers to call for extra help and to make changes to ensure patient safety.

He said the critical incident had been declared because of "exceptionally high demands on our emergency department, especially with flu and respiratory illnesses, and the number of patients".

The decision had been taken "to support the safe care and treatment of our patients, which is our absolute priority", he said.

The trust said managers were working with partners to ensure that those who are medically fit can leave hospital safely and at the earliest opportunity.

The trust spokesman said staff were "working incredibly hard" to treat people as quickly as possible but warned some patients will "experience longer waits while we treat our sickest patients".

Non-emergency patients are urged to instead use other services, such as a GP, a local pharmacy or walk-in centre.

"We have seen an increasing number of people with flu and respiratory illnesses in our emergency departments in recent weeks," the spokesman said.

For people who do go to the emergency department, they asked patients and visitors to follow additional infection control measures to help curb the spread of flu and norovirus.

"This includes practising good hand hygiene, only visiting the areas they need to in our hospitals and wearing masks in clinical areas if asked to do so," the spokesman said.

Johnson said the news emphasises "the critical challenges facing our NHS, particularly the ongoing staffing and capacity crises".

"Labour must immediately implement a comprehensive plan to increase NHS funding, recruit and retain healthcare professionals, and invest in social care to facilitate timely patient discharges across our hospitals.

"Our goal must be to ensure that hospitals like Royal Liverpool are equipped to provide the high-quality care that patients deserve, without the life-threatening delays they are currently facing."

She added Liverpool Riverside was "the most deprived constituency in England", where poverty remains a significant driver of health inequalities.

"Tackling poverty at its root is essential to creating better health opportunities, reducing the strain on A&E services, and improving lives across Liverpool," she said.

She thanked NHS staff for their dedication "under immense pressure at these difficult times", adding "Labour must support them by rebuilding a sustainable and resilient health service for all, from cradle to grave".