A FORMER MP has blamed Government cuts for overcrowding at the borough's hospital trust.

Julie Hilling, who was Bolton West's MP from 2010 and 2015, a constituency that serves Atherton, says Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) is not getting the support it needs.

During December, its hospital bed occupancy rate was often higher than the 85 per cent target.

Ms Hilling, Labour's candidate for the next general election, said: “The people of Atherton deserve so much better than this.

“Thank goodness for all the staff at WWL who work so hard for patients despite NHS cuts.

“The Tories have no plan to tackle the financial crisis facing our hospitals – their plans have put units across the country at risk, while beds are cut, staff numbers reduced and treatments rationed."

Labour’s Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary Jonathan Ashworth MP added: “The New Year performance statistics reveal an NHS under considerable strain this winter after years of financial squeeze, chronic staff shortages and swingeing cuts to social care provision.

“Thanks to the efforts of NHS staff who again have shown extraordinary effort, professionalism, leadership and dedication, services are not quite as bad at this point as last year.

“But let’s be under no illusion; hospitals remain dangerously overcrowded, nearly 40,000 patients have had to wait in backed up ambulances so far this winter, while 54,000 sick patients endured waits of over four hours in November and 12 hour breaches more than doubled compared with last November.

“This is still unacceptably far from the standards expected, adding up to a winter of misery for patients and their families.

“Ministers must outline a credible plan to both restore standards of patient care where constitutional targets are met, while recruiting and training the staff our NHS now desperately and so obviously needs.”

The Government said WWL statistics show bed occupancy rates have fallen from 96 per cent to 93.8 per cent year on year.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Despite an increase in attendances, hardworking staff at the trust saw over 5,770 people within four hours in December 2018 – six per cent more than the same month in 2017, and bed occupancy rates have also fallen.

“We recognise winter can be challenging, which is why we’ve funded councils in the area with more than £4.3million to help get patients out of hospital quicker.

"We have committed to further support the NHS through the Long Term Plan with £20.5 billion a year extra going to the NHS by 2023/24 to guarantee the future of our health service.”