MP Gideon Amos (Lib Dem, Taunton & Wellington) has called on the Government to ‘get a grip’ on health services, as new waiting times data was released.

Statistics released by NHS England this week showed out of more than 12,900 visits, 510 waited more than 12 hours from arriving at a Somerset A&E department to being admitted, transferred or discharged in October of this year.

In response, Mr Amos has called on the Government to ensure a rescue plan for local health services includes exempting GPs and care providers from the Chancellor’s NICs hike, to free up cash to help tackle the issue.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ October Budget included a £26 billion boost for the NHS, while ending health service strikes would help ease the prospect of a “winter crisis”.

Mr Amos said: “Twelve or more hours is a huge amount of time to be waiting in any A&E department.

“By ending NHS dentistry in the county and running down our GPs, the last Conservative government stoked up a crisis in hospitals which, for many, have become the only place left to go. They’ve got a lot to answer for.

“Time can be critical when you’re waiting for treatment and long waits in A&E here in Somerset can be dangerous.

“The new Government must urgently get a grip of this crisis and bring forward a plan to rescue our struggling health services.

“It’s great to see the money allocated to the NHS in the Budget but I’m demanding that Musgrove Park Hospital gets every penny it needs from that funding.

“At the same time, ministers must urgently exempt GPs, care homes, and other health and care providers from their National Insurance tax hike, which risks making things even worse.”

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A DHSC spokesperson said: “This government inherited a broken NHS where an annual winter crisis had become the norm.

“It will take time to turn things around but our action to quickly end the junior doctors strike means for the first time in three years NHS leaders are planning for winter rather than preparing for strikes.

“And the Chancellor recently announced a near £26 billion boost for the NHS over this year and next.

“Longer-term, through our 10 Year Health Plan, we will build an NHS that is fit for the future and delivers for patients all year round.”