Axminster's MP has called for the reopening of community hospital beds, as new figures revealed that 3,300 patients across Devon waited more than 12 hours in A&E in February – placing the county in the top ten worst areas.

The statistics, released for the first time last week by NHS England, show the number of people who waited more than 12 hours from the time of arrival at A&E to being admitted, transferred, or discharged.

They show that 15% of patients across Devon waited over 12 hours at A&E in February. This ranks the area as the ninth worst in England, and is much higher than the national average of just over 10%.

These long A&E waits can have serious consequences for patients. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has warned that "evidence shows delays to care and long waits to admission to hospital increase a patient's risk of harm and death", even after they leave A&E.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a rescue plan for local health services, including recruiting more GPs and bringing in a Carer's Minimum Wage to tackle staff shortages in social care.

Axminster's MP Richard Foord has also launched a new campaign, calling for the government to introduce a Community Hospital Fund to help fund the restoration of beds that have been lost from community hospitals over recent years, including in Axminster.

He said these measures would help reduce pressure on overstretched hospitals and ambulance services, while also ensuring people can get the treatment they need locally.

Responding to the figures, Mr Foord said: "These figures lay bare the appalling extent of long A&E delays in Devon. Far too many people are having to wait twelve hours or more to be treated, which we know can have devastating consequences.

"This Conservative government has let the NHS crisis spiral out of control. They are letting patients in our community down badly, leaving them waiting in pain for the treatment they need because there simply aren't enough beds available.

"The Liberal Democrats are calling for an urgent rescue plan for our local health services. If patients could see their GP when they need to or get the care they need at home, it would free up hospital resources to treat people far more quickly.

"I am also calling for the government to establish a Community Hospital Fund, to help replenish the supply of beds in community hospitals in towns like Seaton, Sidmouth, Axminster, and Ottery St Mary – which have slowly been hollowed out over recent years.

"This is the type of realistic step which would offer significant help to patients and also ease pressure on our hardworking, but often overstretched, staff at the RD&E who simply cannot cope with demand."