I spoke on Friday to the Chief Executive of Liverpool University Hospitals Trust James Sumner and toured Whiston A&E Department with Ann Marr, Chief Executive of St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals Trust, to hear for myself what has been happening in their hospitals. Both have experienced the same problems that hospitals around the UK have, with over-capacity A&E waiting rooms, ambulances stacked in car parks, corridor space being used for beds and wait times of 50 plus hours and more. The shortage of beds and space to discharge patients into in the community is causing road-blocks in the hospital system and misery for patients and their families.

These pressures are taking a toll on staff as well as patients. They are doing all they can under the worst circumstances anyone can remember for the NHS. It was good to hear steps being taken to make more bed space but many hospitals are already at capacity. The promise of 7000 new beds from Rishi Sunak’s government is easy to make but difficult to deliver.

Nursing staff and ambulance crews already have more strike dates planned, with ambulance crews accusing the Prime Minister of “demonising them”. They don’t want to take industrial action, but the Government have left them no choice. Rishi Sunak has talked about giving nurses a one-off payment to help them get through winter instead of paying them what they are worth. This would be a hardship payment and an admission of shambolic and inadequate pay for nursing staff who instead deserve proper recognition in their pay packets for their hard work and dedication.

I will continue to monitor the situation in our hospitals and have offered any and all support that I can.