Luther Blissett has shed light on his recent NHS experience after suffering lengthy waits with a “severe chest infection”.

Numerous Watford FC fans wished the club legend well after he revealed on Twitter he was “gutted” to be missing the Hornets’ first game back on Sunday, December 11.

Shortly before the Hull City match, he said that at 7pm the previous night he spent two hours calling NHS 111, before waiting from 9pm to 8am to be called by an out of hours GP.

He then spent another two hours calling 111, three more waiting, before eventually being sent to the A&E GP service, where he was “still waiting” at 2.26pm.

One well-wisher responded: “Sadly, yours is not an uncommon tale involving the NHS recently. The system is an utter shambles. Get well soon sir!”

Luther replied: “Have to say ‘system’ it is. No sense of structure. They had the staff but no idea how to run things efficiently. Too much computer focus also. Crying kids in [the] same queue. Why? Triage separately, parents are panicking over strep. Veterans need to go in and run a few things sir.”

The fan wrote back “efficiency and the NHS seem to be words rarely used in the same sentence these days”, before putting his own negative experiences “purely down to miscommunication, or even no communication at all. The whole thing needs picking up and shaking.”

Luther said: “I am not going to disagree. Communication is the epic fail. Too reliant on assumption and lack of attention and accountability.”

Another fan claimed “this government really has run the NHS to beyond breaking point”, to which Luther responded: “I think there is a lot that has contributed to be honest. Terrible admin and structure. All sorts of things.”

Watford FC and Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor were among many sending supportive messages to the former striker wishing him a speedy recovery.

Nationally there are reports of the NHS “bursting at the seams”, with waiting lists hitting a record high and A&E departments posting their worst performance on record, according to new NHS England data.

An NHS spokesperson said: “Urgent and emergency services are facing significant demand with a record number of A&E attendances in October, as well as a record number of the most serious ambulance callouts for that month, rising levels of flu and RSV, and difficulties discharging thousands of patients medically fit to leave hospital.

“NHS staff are working incredibly hard to prepare for what will be a challenging winter with extensive plans already underway including the rollout of more than 40 new system control centres, falls response services and additional beds and call handlers, so it is important that people continue to come forward for care when they need it.”