NHS waiting lists at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals have hit 59,659, up from 54,852 when Rishi Sunak and his Conservative government made his pledge to cut them at the start of last year.

It comes as the government slashes funding for the NHS despite waiting lists growing compared to last year. The Autumn Statement revealed the NHS budget has been cut by £3.5 billion (2.1 per cent) in real terms this year, and is set to fall by another £1.3 billion (0.8 per cent) next year.

That is why the Lib Dems and I have called on the Conservative government to reverse the NHS spending cuts and invest in fixing local hospitals, hiring more staff and ensuring patients get the treatment they deserve.

These shocking figures show far too many people in Woking are being left waiting endlessly in pain for treatment. People deserve a local health service that delivers the care they deserve when they need it.

One year on from when Rishi Sunak promised that waiting lists would fall, thousands of people in our community are still stuck on waiting lists with their lives put on hold or unable to work.

Now this government is set to do the unthinkable and slash NHS funding even further. Local health services are in crisis but Conservative ministers either don’t get it or don’t care. Thankfully, as a result of local action, there is positive news on health – construction has started on a vital expansion at Woking Community Hospital.

Last year, Woking Borough Council approved a motion from me to work with the NHS to bring more health facilities to our town. Therefore, the council has been working closely with the NHS to make that happen.

Funding has been allocated, and Ashford and St Peter’s Hospital, local GPs and Alliance Medical Ltd will be financing the build and responsible for running the facility. Planning permission from the borough council’s planning committee has been granted. And construction has now started.

Woking’s local hospital already has some diagnostic services, but these are very limited. Woking has just one ultrasound and X-ray machines, and limited blood-taking services. However, the expansion will enable the creation of a community diagnostic centre which will create much-needed more capacity in the local health service, but it will also bring services closer to where people live.

Despite this good local news story, our NHS is clearly struggling. What has happened shows the Conservative Party cannot be trusted with the NHS. We need a general election now so voters in Woking can finally get rid of this out-of-touch Conservative government and elect a Lib Dem MP who will stand up for local health services.