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Patients across England have been facing significant delays in major A&E departments over December, as the ongoing NHS winter crisis takes its toll on the nation's hospitals.

Nearly half (44.7 per cent) of all patients arriving at major 'type 1' A&Es waited more than four hours from arrival to admission, transfer, or discharge, the latest NHS statistics revealed today. This figure has risen from 43pc in November and is a slight decrease from the 45.3pc seen in December 2023 and the record high of 50.4pc in December 2022.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust reported particularly severe delays, with almost two-thirds (64.3pc) of arrivals waiting over four hours. While Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and North Tees And Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust also saw high percentages of 63.7pc and 62.4pc, respectively.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people had to spend more than half a day waiting for a bed. A total of 54,207 attendances at A&Es in December had to wait over 12 hours from decision to admit to admission.

This is the third highest total on record and is up from 44,045 people in December 2023, but below the peak of 54,573 in December 2022. A total of 1,894 arrivals at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust had to wait over 12 hours, which is more than at any trust in England.

More than half (53pc) of arrivals at North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust had to wait over 12 hours, however, which is the highest proportion in the country. The NHS has endured one of its busiest Decembers to date, with a staggering 2.35 million people visiting A&E units across England.

Of these, over half, amounting to 1.44 million, attended major 'type 1' A&E departments which are equipped with