Political Opinion: Victoria Collins MP supports new Liberal Democrat policy to fix NHS emergency care

The policy calls for GP appointments within seven days, and urgent ones within 24 hours, ending the need for people to turn to A&E in desperation. It would also put £50 million a year into reopening ambulance stations, launch a new recruitment drive for community first responders, and cut dangerous delays in response times.

The announcement comes as figures reveal that last year there were a record 518,000 trolley waits of 12 hours or more in A&E. Only 73% of patients were treated within four hours, far below the 95% target. Ambulance delays and emergency department diverts also hit record highs last winter.

These long delays can have deadly consequences. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has estimated that 16,600 deaths in 2024 were linked to excessive waits in A&E.

Victoria said: “Families across Harpenden, Berkhamsted, Tring and our villages are being let down in their hour of need. Patients are stuck for hours in corridors, pensioners are left in agony waiting for ambulances, and staff are working under intolerable pressure. This is the shameful legacy of Conservative neglect and Labour inaction.

“The Liberal Democrats have a clear plan to rescue emergency care and fix social care. Our proposals will guarantee GP appointments within seven days, and urgent appointments within 24 hours, to stop people being forced into A&E. We will ensure national, high-quality social care for everyone who needs it, freeing up hospital beds and ending delayed discharges. We will open community walk-in mental health hubs so people get help early rather than ending up in crisis at A&E. And we will invest £50 million a year to reopen ambulance stations, launch a new recruitment drive for community first responders and cut dangerous delays in response times.

“We are demanding the Government take action now, before more lives are lost and NHS staff morale plummets even further.”