Home / Health / Kent Hospital A&E Waits Soar, Deaths Linked
Kent Hospital A&E Waits Soar, Deaths Linked
16 Jul
Summary
- Over 1,000 patients waited over 12 hours in A&E last month.
- Hospital managers connect A&E delays to increased patient deaths.
- Corridors used as escalation areas impact patient care and privacy.
In May 2026, Medway Maritime Hospital in Kent experienced an alarming rise in A&E delays, with over 1,300 patients waiting more than 12 hours. This figure represents a 5% increase from the previous month and the highest number of such lengthy waits since January.
Hospital management has directly linked these extended emergency care waits, along with frailty care issues, to an increase in patient mortality. The situation is further compounded by the use of hospital corridors as temporary patient areas, which compromise privacy, dignity, and staff well-being.
Recent reports from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine highlight a near tenfold increase in deaths linked to long A&E waits across England over the past decade, underscoring the severity of the ongoing crisis.
