Nearly 540 patients waited more than 24 hours at A&E before being admitted to hospital at Ashford and St Peter’s last year, according to Freedom of Information requests by the Liberal Democrats.

The data showed that in 2019, 235 patients waited more than 24 hours to be admitted to hospital following their arrival in A&E and this more than doubled to 537 in 2023.

Those aged 65 and over in and around Woking have also experienced increases in 24-hour waits. In 2019, 218 over-65s waited more than a day for a bed and this increased to over 343 last year. Of those waiting 24 hours to be admitted to hospital after arriving at A&E last year, almost 64 per cent were over 65.

Nationally, 153,000 people waited over 24 hours to be admitted to hospital following their arrival in A&E in 2023. This is a ten-fold increase on the just over 15,000 people who waited over 24 hours in 2019. Of those facing delays in 2023, more than two-thirds were over 65.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine recently produced an analysis which showed that there were almost 300 excess deaths a week in A&E associated with long delays.

Will Forster, the Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate for Woking and deputy borough council leader, said: “It is appalling that so many people in Woking are being forced to put up with these terrifying waits at Ashford and St Peter’s as our health service teeters on the brink.

“Behind each one of these figures is a story of someone waiting in pain, worried sick about getting the care they need.

“Doctors and nurses are working incredibly hard to help local people but are being let down by a lack of funding. It is not right that our community is suffering the consequences of this Conservative Government’s neglect of local health services.”

The Lib Dems are also calling for the expansion of Woking Community Hospital after NHS figures showed waiting list for diagnostic tests in Woking reached 9,205 in July last year, a rise of 39 per cent on 2019.

Cllr Forster said: “These figures show the need for more diagnostic services to be based in Woking and for our Community Hospital to expand.”

He said that funding for a new community diagnostic centre has been allocated and a decision on planning permission will be made shortly.

“It does currently provide some diagnostic services, but these services are very limited with just one ultrasound and X-ray machines, and limited blood taking services.”

Cllr Forster said the proportion of people waiting over six weeks for a diagnostic test in Woking was 9.1 per cent, in July, whereas the NHS target of less than one per cent. 

“The new diagnostic centre will be a significant capital investment into Woking Community Hospital, thankfully not impacted by the borough council’s effective bankruptcy, and will operate as a joint service by Ashford and St Peter’s Hospital, local GPs and Alliance Medical Ltd.”