Thank you for downloading the More or Less podcast from the BBC,

statistically proven to be the very best numbers programme around.

This is the extended edition of the programme, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

Hello and welcome to More or Less, the programme which resolves each year

to cut down on unhealthy junk news and eat more tasty and nutritious statistics.

This week, cancer, huge BBC mistakes about inequality, NHS waiting times,

and statistical whoppers that are true but deeply misleading.

Six hospitals declare major incidents amid the worst A&D waiting figure times for a decade.

This week, NHS England published figures that revealed it had missed

its four-hour accident and emergency waiting time target.

That's bad news in itself, but the numbers were particularly troublesome

with performance dropping to its lowest level for a decade.

Well the news prompted many loyal listeners to write to More or Less at

bbc.co.uk to ask us questions, such as this one, from Rachel.

Have you considered looking at the reporting of the latest NHS winter crisis?

There are lots of percentages being bandied about, without any contextualising numbers,

so it all feels pretty meaningless to me.

Well, the government target used to be that 98% of people attending A&E

should be seen in less than four hours.

It's been relaxed to 95%, but nevertheless the NHS is still missing the target.

In the period October to December 2014, only 92.6% of people attending A&E

were seen within four hours.

...