Tory cuts left the NHS "dangerously exposed" before the pandemic with failures to "get a grip on the crisis" fuelling record waiting lists, Labour has warned.
Some 5.8 million people in England were stuck on waiting lists for routine care at the end of September - the highest since records began in 2007.
The Government's spending watchdog warned this week that numbers of people waiting for care could spiral to between 7 million and 12 million by 2025.
Health Minister Edward Argar told MPs the country was facing a "testing winter" as he set out plans to award £700m to under-pressure hospitals to try to slash the backlog.
The cash, which comes from the £5.4 billion pot for this year already announced by Boris Johnson, will be used to upgrade wards, operating theatres and diagnostic kits, and to create more inpatient beds.
But Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting accused ministers of failing to come up with a "serious strategy" to address waiting lists or tackle chronic staff shortages.
A new winter care document published on Friday underlines that Covid rates "remain high and could still increase" as experts battle to understand the threat from the new Omicron variant.
Treating Covid patients has impacted on capacity for other care and attendance rates at emergency departments are returning to pre-pandemic levels, it states.
The new paper comes after the Government's long-awaited plan to tackle social care was blasted as "incredibly thin" this week - and even they admitted it won't solve all the problems.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Streeting said: "Almost one in 10 people in England are waiting for months, even years on end, often in serious pain and discomfort, because the Government has failed to get a grip on this crisis.
"Everyone can understand that we are in the midst of a global pandemic which has place the NHS under unprecedented pressure.
"But that does not excuse or explain why we went into this pandemic with NHS waiting lists at record levels and unprecedented staff shortages.
"Ministers will want people to believe that the winter crisis is simply a result of the challenges of Covid when in reality the entire health and social care system has been left dangerously exposed by the choices they have made throughout the past 11 years."
Without a strategy to boost staffing levels "this plan really isn't a plan at all", he said.
Mr Argar insisted the Government was doing "everything in our power to give our NHS what it needs and keep it standing strong this winter".
He said the pandemic had piled "unprecedented pressure" on the health service but ministers were determined to clear the backlog of elective treatments.
"This is a Government that backs the NHS ahead of what will be a testing winter," he said.
"I would like to conclude by urging everyone to play their part this winter by taking simple steps that can help our NHS like getting the jabs you need - both flu and Covid-19 - when the time comes and following the rules we have put in place."
Prof Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said the health service had "pulled out all the stops" during the pandemic and urged people to get their boosters to help medics.
He said: "There is no doubt that this winter is going to be tough with staff contending with the highest ever number of 999 calls in October and it remains as important as ever that people do not delay seeking help from the NHS if they feel unwell.
"So anyone needing help should come forward through NHS 111 online so that staff can help you with the best option for your care, and the NHS is accelerating our COVID booster campaign so please accept your invite when asked, as well taking up the offer of a flu jab to protect you this winter."
The Prime Minister announced a manifesto-busting hike to National Insurance from April to raise £36bn for health and social care over the next three years.
The majority of the cash will go to the NHS, with £5.4bn earmarked for the rest of this year.
The £700m set out today will be allocated to 785 schemes across 187 hospital trusts in England, including £112m for the North East and Yorkshire, £131m for the Midlands, £97m for the North West, £78m for the East of England, £105m for the South East, £69m for the South West and £109m for London.
