Opposition parties in Britain have stepped up their criticism of the government's handling of the National Health Service.

The Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy, said Labour had broken its election pledge to improve standards of care.

The Conservatives have called for a debate in parliament next week on the current shortage of hospital beds.

The Chief Executive of the NHS, Sir Alan Langlands, said the government had kept its promise to provide more intensive-care beds but admitted the service was under unprecedented strains.

The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is expected to defend his government's record in a television interview on Sunday.

A BBC Correspondent says he'll argue that only Labour can achieve the much-needed reform of the NHS.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service