Mr Donnelly has written to Mike Nesbitt to ask him to appear before MLAs, after figures from New Year's Eve showed more than half of the nearly 900 people who attended emergency departments waited more than 12 hours.

East Antrim MLA Mr Donnelly, Deputy Chair of the Assembly’s Health Committee, said the Minister’s winter planning had failed those using the system.

“It is clear there are a number of competing and ongoing pressures within the health service. Particularly concerning are those resulting in prolonged delays inside and outside A&E departments,” he said.

“They have been widely publicised over the Christmas period, with a number of stories from patients who have been waiting unacceptable lengths of time for admission to hospital. I have spoken to constituents and healthcare professionals who have experienced the associated exhaustion and low morale of staff.

“Both health professionals and the public are concerned the Minister’s winter pressures planning process has amounted to little more than a talking shop, with little effective action to address the issues which we were all aware of to begin with.

“The Minister has now spoken publicly in the media regarding winter pressures and that is welcome but I am calling on him to attend the Assembly urgently, with the intention of laying out his plans for tackling overcrowding and lack of capacity in the service.

“We all know the problems, now is the time for solutions, so we can deliver for patients and staff, and ensure there is no complete collapse of services.”