Rt Revd Alan Smith said all political parties must have a plan to solve some of the problems currently facing the NHS ahead of May's election.
He was speaking as figures showed that A and E waiting times are at their worst level for more than a decade.
Prime Minister David Cameron admitted the NHS is under "pressure" but that it was short term.
Health professionals have warned of a crisis after figures showed just 92.6% of patients were seen within four hours, below the 95% target.
Bishop Alan said: "I think the reasons for the growing queues in some of our A&E departments are complex so I hope parties in their manifestos will put a number of things in place.
"I think there's the whole issue of prevention, so, for example dealing with the causes of things such as asthma.
"We also need to look at the right investment in medical services so that the significant number of people who are turning up, who really ought to be going to their GP, are going there instead.
"It really is for emergency, so we need a complex response to what is a complex problem."