BASILDON hospital is at breaking point, with wards almost full every day.

New figures show the hospital was completely full nine days last month, and otherwise more than 99 per cent full for almost the whole time.

Mike Le-Surf, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock, said: “Basildon Hospital was over its recommended capacity throughout the whole period and it is clear patient care has been put at risk. This is a warning sign for Basildon that cannot go ignored. Ministers must act now to ensure hospitals have enough beds and staff to cope.”

Watchdog Dr Foster Intelligence recommends hospitals should keep at least 15 per cent of beds free to cope with emergencies.

The hospital, which recently added an extra 14 beds on its refurbished Laindon Ward, denies patients are at risk and insists its staff is coping with unprecedented demand.

It has seen a huge rise in patients this year, with visits to the A&E department increasing by 16 per cent. Soaring demand has been blamed on an ageing population, cuts in funding for social care, an ineffective flu jab and difficulty in getting GP appointments.