A YORKSHIRE MP has spoken out about her experience of the crisis engulfing hospital A&E departments after visiting the general hospital in her constituency.

Labour MP for York Rachael Maskell said she witnessed the most challenging circumstances imaginable and staff pushed beyond their limits, as they do everything they can to help their patients at York Hospital.

Ms Maskell, vice-chairwoman of the Commons health & social care select committee, said nurses and consultants shared how “the trauma caused by unrelenting pressures is causing them to break down in tears every day as they are bombarded with professional dilemmas.”

She saw patients treated on trolleys in corridors as a parallel crisis in social care meant hospital beds are blocked as there is nowhere for patients to go when they are discharged.

Social care is short of 105,000 staff. The NHS has 135,500 vacancies, of which 47,000 are nurses, as staff are driven out by poor wages and shocking conditions.

“One sister described how staff are constantly conflicted and compromised, while another talked about how they could not give people the dignity a patient should have while being nursed in a corridor,” Ms Maskell said.

“A senior consultant described how this had been the worst six months he has ever known.”

She warned that without government action, “the situation would get worse,” adding: “Thirteen years of a Tory government has systematically led us to this point.”

Nurses in England and many ambulance staff are staging strike action today over pay and in defence of the NHS.