A total of 25,182 handover delays of half an hour or longer were recorded across all hospital trusts last week, according to NHS England.

This was 34% of all arrivals by ambulance, up from 31% the previous week.

The numbers are higher than at any point in recent winters with just over one in three waiting at least 30 minutes.

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In December 2021 in the equivalent week, the figure stood at 23% and at 15% in December 2020.

Some 12,534 patients, 17% of the total, had to wait more than an hour to be handed over.

This is up from 15% the previous week and compares with 13% at this point in 2021 and just 10% in 2020.

A handover delay does not always mean a patient has waited in the ambulance, as they may have been moved into an A&E department but staff were not available to complete the handover.

The increasing level of delays reflects the struggle faced by hospitals in finding space for new arrivals.

More than 10,000 ambulance workers across nine NHS trusts in England and Wales are set to strike on 21 and 28 December in disputes over pay.

Ambulance workers from the GMB union, including paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers and other staff will strike, as troops are being trained to drive ambulances.

It comes as tens of thousands of nurses have gone on strike for their first mass walkout in a century across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in disputes over pay.

111 calls reach near-record levels

Calls to NHS 111 have also reached near-record levels, driven by concerns over Strep A infections.

A total of 706,129 calls were made to the NHS 111 helpline last week, up 60% on the previous week.

This is the highest number of 111 calls ever recorded, save for two weeks in March 2020 at the start of the COVID pandemic.

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Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: "This huge increase in calls to NHS 111 is understandable with concerns about winter viruses - including Strep A - a top priority for the public, but it is more important than ever that the public uses 111 online where possible to get important information about non-emergency health conditions and to be signposted to the best possible care."

He added that people must continue to call 999 in a life-threatening emergency during strikes, as well as attend pre-booked appointments as planned unless they have been rearranged.