Harrow borough is paying the price for the lowest NHS funding in London, as its hospital A&E department had the worst record for waiting times in the UK, according to NHS data.

Northwick Park Hospital accident and emergency department had a total of 25,229 admissions in the month of February.

The latest NHS figures reveal nearly half of those patients, 43.4%, had to wait more than four hours to be seen - making London North West Healthcare the worst in the country from available data.

Also trailing behind was The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Trust, which saw 42% of patients being made to wait in A&E.

These figures are in stark contrast to Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust and Luton And Dunstable University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, who managed to see 97.4% of patients within four hours.

The government standard is to see 95% of patients within four hours.

Waiting times improved for London North West Healthcare NHS Trust for the month of March, as 59.8% of patients were seen with four hours, after a total of 28,875 admissions - but still coming out at the bottom of the league.

Gareth Thomas, who is standing next month to once again become Harrow West's MP, believes the A&E department at Northwick Park Hospital has been '"under severe pressure since the closure of the A&E departments at the nearby Central Middlesex and Hammersmith Hospital's in 2014".

Gareth Thomas MP with Labour's Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth at a walk-in centre in Harrow

The Labour Party MP believes the financial constraints at Northwick Park Hospital are now so severe that a number of units are "operating substantially below recommended safe staffing levels", such as the paediatric day care unit operates with just two-thirds of the recommended number of nurses.

Mr Thomas said: "These latest figures for waiting times at Northwick Park show just how much pressure the NHS is under.

Could the A&E face more strain with potential future cuts?

"Harrow is paying the price for receiving the lowest amount of funding for the NHS per person of any London borough."

A spokesman for London North West Healthcare NHS Trust contests that its clinical units are operating below safe staffing levels.

The spokesman said: “February’s A&E figures continue to reflect the ongoing challenges seen across the NHS with unprecedented demand for services over winter.

"Along with other hospitals in London and nationally, we have been experiencing huge pressures due to the number of acutely ill people arriving at our A&E combined with much higher numbers of frail older patients who require social support to be discharged from hospital.

"Our board regularly reviews our safe staffing levels in line with the expectations of the National Quality Board and we have a daily safety system in place to ensure staffing levels are based on our patients’ needs.

"Our doctors and nurses in our emergency department have been working incredibly hard during this busy period, however patient safety and high quality care remained their priority throughout.

"With high numbers continuing to attend our emergency department we have to prioritise those patients with the highest need.

"We recognise that some patients may still experience longer waits and want to thank patients and their families for their co-operation.

"We continue to work with local partners to develop long term solutions that will improve waiting times and demands on our service."

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