ONE in eight people have been delayed 30 minutes or more in transit between ambulances and A&E departments this winter, according to Labour Party analysis of NHS figures.

Just over 23,000 people — 13 per cent of such patients — were delayed in their transfer to A&E in the first two weeks of December.

NHS guidance states that patients should be handed over within 15 minutes of arriving at hospital.

Since November 30, there have also been 62 A&E “diverts” across the country — when an ambulance is diverted to an alternative hospitals when the closest is struggling to cope with demand.

The December figures serve as a warning for the impact that rising Covid-19 cases could have on urgent NHS services in January — usually the toughest month for the NHS.

Last week, the Health Service Journal reported that hospitals were already facing “January workload in December,” with extreme demand for services in the normally quieter months before Christmas.

Hospital leaders and A&E doctors are warning of the strain that both winter and rising numbers of Covid-19 patients in hospital are putting on A&E departments and NHS staff.

Dr John Puntis, paediatrician and co-chairman of Keep Our NHS Public, told the Morning Star: “This is the latest shocking evidence of how an underfunded, understaffed health service has now been put under even greater pressure by Covid-19.

“Patients will pay the price for the usual winter crisis now being compounded by the government’s inability to offer a coherent pandemic strategy rather than false promises, indecision, delay and dramatic U-turns.

“It is time for this government to own up to its mismanagement and be held to account.”

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “It’s not just coronavirus putting extreme pressure on hospitals to deliver the standard of care needed, but years of health and social care cutbacks and understaffing.

“Many of these patients will be elderly and in desperate need, yet they have been left waiting and waiting by the government.

“Fed-up patients have had enough of Boris Johnson’s empty promises. They need action from ministers to relieve pressures on the NHS and reduce Covid-19 infections.”

Unison head of health Sara Gorton said: "For years the NHS has barely been able to cope with staff shortages. The Covid crisis has thrown these problems into stark relief.

"A chronic lack of investment in staff and beds has meant more ambulances and patients queueing outside A&E until spaces can be found.

"The knock-on effect is fewer crews are able to respond to 999 calls and more patients don’t get the care they deserve. The government can't continue to ignore these problems. It has to match words with deeds and properly fund the NHS and its workers."