Labour would draft in former nurses to help ease the burden on accident and emergency departments, Ed Miliband has said.
GPs could also be installed in hospitals to cool pressure on the straining service, the Labour leader added.
The performance of England's A&E departments is at its worst for a decade with waiting times beyond the four-hour target, cancelled operations and patients being turned away.
The Health Secretary has admitted hospitals are struggling to cope but some doctors and nurses have said the system is in crisis.
ITV News correspondent Dan Rivers reports:
Ed Miliband wants former nursing staff to be drafted in as part of a new five-point plan to ease the burden on accident and emergency.
Hospitals are saying there simply are not enough beds and trained medical staff for sick patients who need to be admitted.
With A&E waiting times slumping to their worst in 10 years, did your hospital make it on to the worst 10 list?