North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has demanded Government action to stop patients dying while waiting for ambulances, in a meeting with Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

Mr Javid met with Mrs Morgan six months after her first act as an MP was to request an urgent meeting with him to discuss Shropshire’s health crisis.

She has called on Mr Javid to set up an independent Care Quality Commission (CQC) review into the health problems plaguing the county which this week led to the worst-ever day for ambulance handover delays in the region, but says he has refused.

Helen Morgan MP said she was grateful the Health Secretary eventually met her, but says action has come too late in the day given the urgency of the situation in Shropshire.

She added: "This particularly when we have just seen the worst ever day for ambulance delays in the region’s history.

“Too many people and their families have suffered as a result of this Conservative Government’s failings.

"In my six months as an MP I’ve constantly called on the Government to take Shropshire seriously and yet they’ve allowed an already dire situation to get worse.

“If you suffer a heart attack in Shropshire you have to wait almost twice as long as people in Birmingham and if you have a serious but not-critical problem you could be stuck in an ambulance outside hospital for an entire day.

“From carers to consultants, far more staff are needed across the health system in Shropshire.

"As frontline health staff try and cope with more pressure than anyone should be expected to deal with, the Government needs to hurry up and act.

“Given the scale of the country’s labour shortage serious action is needed as so far there is no evidence that attempts to boost the workforce are working.

“I’m disappointed he is refusing a CQC review as an impartial look at Shropshire could help come up with fresh solutions.

"However I know the team from the Integrated Care System are working extremely hard on their own review and I’m looking forward to hearing their results.

“I have been working closely with local health leaders to identify solutions and will continue to make sure the Government is held to account for allowing people in rural areas to suffer so much.”

Meanwhile it was revealed at the meeting that Sajid Javid has met with West Midlands Ambulance Service after he previously ignored the service’s request for a meeting in the winter.

The Health Secretary eventually met with WMAS after one of its most senior staff members warned that the service is on track to collapse entirely this summer.

WMAS nursing director Mark Docherty said patients were “dying every day” from avoidable causes created by ambulance delays.

Ms Morgan added: “New terrible records for delays are being broken all the time and yet the Government continues to sit on its hands.

"Elderly patients are forced to suffer in pain for hours and hours while paramedics are stuck waiting outside hospitals through no fault of their own.

“Yet every time we think it can’t get worse it does. What will it take for the Government to take responsibility and take action to stop people dying?”