Waiting times at Wexham Park A&E,  one of the nearest for people in South Bucks, have risen by 580 per cent in the past year.

In April 2021, the average wait time for a patient to be admitted from Wexham Park A&E was 56 minutes.

In May 2022, this had risen to 5 hours 25 minutes.  

The longest wait to be seen in Wexham Park A&E in April 2021, was 8 hours 52 minutes.

However, in May this year, the longest wait was 17 hours 35 minutes. 

The highest recorded wait in the past year was in December 2021, with one patient waiting 21 hours 34 minutes.

Emergency services have been at full capacity throughout the year with Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, who run the hospital, urging residents to only come to the A&E if experiencing a serious or life-threatening emergency.

High Wycombe residents also rely on Stoke Mandeville A&E - but this hospital said it was unable to provide the same data as Wexham Park has provided.

Tom Rutland, who is standing to be Labour’s candidate in Wycombe at the next general election, said: “Sadly, it’s not a surprise that emergency services are close to breaking point. A decade of Conservative neglect has led to appalling pressures on our doctors, nurses and paramedics - with High Wycombe residents suffering appalling waits as a result.

“These pressures will only increase as we move into winter during the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation. 

“We need urgent action to bring down bed occupancy rates and to support struggling social and community services relied on by people in High Wycombe and throughout Buckinghamshire.”

A Wexham Park A&E said: We’re sorry that many patients are currently waiting longer in our emergency departments than they or we would like. Our staff continue to work extremely hard to see patients – rightly prioritising those most seriously unwell first.

“Our work with health and care partners continues as we strive to improve access to urgent and emergency care and ensure patients who are medically fit can leave hospital as soon as it is safe.”