Record number of ambulances delayed handing over patients at hospitals in England

A record number of ambulances are being delayed while handing over patients at hospitals in England, new figures show.

More than 40% were forced to wait at least half an hour in the week to 1 January, compared to 23% at the same point last year.

The delays reflect the ongoing struggle faced by hospitals to find space for new arrivals, as the number of medically fit patients being discharged in England also falls to a new low.