
"These figures are a huge embarrassment for a Prime Minister who promised to keep NHS waiting times low. On his own test, he is failing patients and the public.
"David Cameron has been less than honest with the public on the NHS. In his desperation to get his Health Bill through Parliament, Cameron repeatedly claimed waiting times were falling. We now know this is not true and this is a man who cannot be trusted on the NHS.
"Labour left the lowest NHS waiting times since records began but, since the Tory-led Government came to power, there has been a 27% increase in patients who waited longer than 18 weeks for treatment. On the Prime Minister’s preferred measurement of average waiting times, the figure was 8.4 weeks in May 2010 and on today’s figures is 8.7 weeks.
"Patients are paying the price for David Cameron's disastrous decision to reorganise the NHS at a time of financial stress. He was repeatedly warned against this by health professionals but put his political pride before the best interests of patients. Every day from now until the next General Election, we will hold him to account for his personal betrayal of the NHS as it struggles to cope with what he has thrown at it."