AN MP says the Government must apply “laser-like focus” to addressing the problems in the NHS after yet more gloomy performance figures emerged.

Darlington MP Jenny Chapman spoke out after figures for December showed just 86.2 per cent of A&E patients in England were seen within the Government’s four hour target – the worst figure on record.

So-called ‘bed blocking’ – known as delayed transfers of care – has also hit its highest level on record, newly published figures showed, with a total of 2,157,155 hospital days being lost last year as result.

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has previously admitted that there are up to 50 people at any one time occupying hospital beds because of gaps in community social care.

There are also concerns about cancer treatment waits in the NHS – last year the number of people waiting more than two months for treatment after an urgent referral was 25,157, another record.

Mrs Chapman said: “The Government has failed to heed the warning signs so far, they are fire fighting. These problems have been predicted and are getting worse.”

Asked whether more cash alone would cure the apparent crisis in the NHS, she said: “Some of it is about money, absolutely.

“But it is also about taking a holistic approach from top to bottom, looking at hospital care, access to GP services, adult social care and ambulance services.

“What is now needed is a laser like focus on addressing these serious problems urgently.”

Glenn Turp, the regional director of the RCN Northern region, which represents nurses, said: “Behind every statistic and missed target is a patient and their family experiencing some of the worst conditions the health service has seen.

“There is no easy way to explain to a sick patient why they’ve been waiting on a hospital trolley for 12 hours or more.”

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Prime Minister Theresa May said the Government had recognised the NHS was under pressure and was investing an extra £10bn into it.

She said: “We are putting funding in and we are seeing higher numbers of doctors, nurses and paramedics in our hospitals, and they are providing excellent care.”