Health leaders have raised concerns that Labour is focusing on the wrong areas “instead of facing the frontline problems” as the NHS heads for another winter crisis.

Almost 50,000 people waited more than 12 hours in A&E in October, up from 39,000 in September, and the Royal College of Nursing warned that “near record numbers are languishing on trolleys”.

Meanwhile, ambulances took an average of 42 minutes and 15 seconds to respond to emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes against an 18-minute target.

Dr Vicky Price, president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine, said the Government needed to “turn its attention to the threat of winter”.

She added: “We have grave concerns that focus is being placed in the wrong areas, with talk about the introduction of league tables, penalties and consultations distracting from the pressing need to deliver meaningful solutions on the ground right now.

“Instead of looking at ways to penalise and shame struggling hospitals, we call on the government to look urgently at social care provision and delayed discharges of medically fit patients which is the root cause of many hospitals’ issues yet remains the elephant in the room when it comes to the NHS.”

Dr Adrian Boyle, president of The Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said the figures would “strike yet more dread in the hearts of emergency clinicians”.

He added: “They are yet another clear indicator of the winter crisis which is looking even more inevitable.

“The huge spike in the number of people being forced to endure stays in A&Es of more than 12 hours is deeply concerning. Long waits are not just inconvenient or uncomfortable, they are dangerous. To be blunt, they put people’s lives at risk.”

The overall NHS treatment waiting list fell for the first time since February, by around 70,000 to 7.57m in September.

However, a target of eliminating waits longer than 65 weeks by September was missed with 22,900 still waiting.

In cancer care, some 74.8% of patients in England urgently referred for suspected cancer in September were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days, below the target of 75%.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said the NHS was “going into winter under more pressure and busier than ever before” even before winter viruses hit.

He added: “It is vital that people help us out by only going to A&E or calling 999 in a life-threatening emergency, using 111 for other conditions, and getting their Covid, flu and RSV vaccinations if eligible.”