A&E waiting times rise

More than 230,000 patients waited over four hours to be seen by medical staff at A&Es in the last three months of 2012.

This is a 38 percent increase on the previous quarter. The King’s Fund medical research unit reported that patients experienced the longest average waits since 2003.

Meanwhile police are regularly taking people to hospital because it is quicker than waiting for an ambulance.

Yorkshire ambulance service is trying to cut £46 million by introducing ambulance staff with basic first aid training instead of the two year paramedic course.

Staff are balloting for strikes against the demotion of at least 300 paramedics.