The opposition critic for health says he is not surprised by reports of overcrowding in emergency rooms over the holidays.

Barry Petten says he has seen pictures of patients sat on floors, stretchers in hallways, and sick seniors waiting days for a bed.

Petten accuses Health Minister Tom Osborne of being silent on the issue, noting that long-term plans being pointed to by the Health Authority will not result in any immediate improvements.

The issue, Petten believes, comes down to a shortage of family doctors.

He believes that if the province had the right number of family doctors then emergency rooms would not be in the situation they are in now.